Powerful, well women who can live their dreams

The WORTH Project – Small Enterprise Groups in Rural Swaziland

The basic framework of Gone Rural and its NGO, Gone Rural boMake (GRb) is the empowerment of women to benefit their families and communities. In 2012, GRb launched the WORTH Program, a savings and micro-enterprise training initiative. Currently, GRb works with 25 savings groups who are able to contribute savings through their artisan work. Our women’s empowerment workers train them on small business while, at the request of the women, facilitate gender-based violence and sexual health education workshops.
The primary objective of the WORTH Program is to increase the economic independence of participating women and youth. More specifically, the project endeavours to:
1. Increase the capacity of rural women and youth to develop micro-enterprises, with a minimum of 2775 rural women and youth saving money and being trained in micro-financing, development, marketing and business administration.
2. Increase the number of rural women and youth feeling able to negotiate safe sex with their partner.
3. Increase the number of women and youth that disagree with negative cultural norms of Gender-based Violence.

Project site

Hhohho, Manzini, and Shiselweni Regions (Map)

Beneficiaries

5'250 women and their families

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 195’000.–, whereas sahee takes over CHF 23’000.–.

Sahee contributes CHF 23’000.-, equal to around 247’000 SZL

Duration of assistance

1st of October 2013 to 30th of September 2015

Local counterpart

Gone Rural boMake