|
WOMEN'S EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (WEEP)
Background: India has a population of 1.2 billion people of whom 60% are under the age of 30 and 50% under the age of 15. There are 600,000 villages. Millions are trapped in the cycle of poverty. Although India is making tremendous strides, the plight of people in villages is mainly untouched. School drop-out rate among women is almost 60%. Poor girls who do not go to school due to parent's need to put them to work early to support the family, suffer humiliation and hare time to find good husbands when they come to marriage age. parents have to borrow money from loan sharks at very high rate to give dowry to the boys family to obtain a husband for their daughter. it takes the poor parents decades to pay off the loan. Thus, the poverty cycle is perpetuated.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT WEEP: Project WEEP has the following key components:
A. District 5330 will select four SISTER DISTRICTS in India in four states of the country.
B. Each District in India will select ten villages and establish Literacy and Tailoring Centers.
C. Girls will be recruited from poor homes who did not go to school when they were young.
D. Each Center will hold training for girls for a period of 6-9 months to teach them reading, writing and tailoring.
E. Each Center will employ volunteers to teach literacy and employ a paid tailor to teach tailoring.
F. Government of India will provide Adult Literacy materials (India has excellent materials for adult literacy).
G. Volunteers will come from the local Rotary clubs and community to help with Adult Literacy for the girls.
BUDGET:
A. District 3000 identified 15 centers, total budget of 80000$.
B. District 3000 contribute 5000$ as DDF & 10000$ as CASH, which will make 30% contribution.
SUSTAINABILITY:
A. Each sister District in India will incorporate the activities of their project into their on-going activities to promote Women's Education and Empowerment. Each sister District does have on-going similar efforts.
HOW MANY WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PROJECT:
A. Each sister District will select ten villages to establish the WEEP Center.
B. Each Center will have ten girls. A total of 40 girls in each Center.
C. 40 girls in each center - 160 in the project for a six month period.
D. if we graduate two batches in a year, that means 320 girls will graduate in a year.
E. Girls will receive the sewing machine at the end of their training.
F. Girls will be able to start their own business in their village and make a good living to support their families.
G. With such a small investment, 320 families for ever will be lifted out of the poverty cycle.
H. Having education and learning a trade will sky-rocket the self-esteem of the girls and break the cycle of poverty in the family forever.
| 
