Here's Why
Written by Julie Kinsella, TWB Summer Intern
During this past year, I spent hours and hours reading through countless mission statements on a about a million of NGO websites in search of a summer internship. There I was, scrolling through my google search “women’s economic empowerment organizations” in search of an organization that somehow clicked. Mission statements blurred together, organizations seemed indistinguishable, and I was losing faith that I would find an organization that excited me. (I think we all know where I’m going with this).
Until! Low and behold!
The Women’s Bakery was next on my list!
What stood out about TWB was that their model is focused on creating long-lasting opportunities for women through training in a specific skill, while building and maintaining strong social and professional relationships with the women they train. The TWB team is genuinely interested in the success of each women in their program. Here’s why. Instead of turning to historical “Band-Aid” approaches of development, TWB offers opportunities for women to transform their lives.
TWB looks at the larger picture. Instead of seeing one women as succeeding in the program as a token for future funding, the team knows that one woman's success is never just one woman’s success, but the success of many. Women are more likely than men to use income to support and better their family. So, when a woman is given an income, her entire family and her community reaps the benefits. A woman who has an income has more opportunity to participate in the community, take on leadership opportunity, and essentially climb up Maslow’s Hierarchy.
Of course, many of you have heard this repeatedly. Investment in women is investment in the future well-being of the world. The team at TWB, not only understands, believes, and supports gender-based development, but uses this idea as the driving force for everything they do. When thinking of all the development-focused organizations out there, it is clear to me now why TWB stood out to me for this reason. They not only have proof in their system and success in their programs, they are driven by the power women have to advance themselves, their families, and their communities.
I leave TWB in a week proud to carry with me the lessons I have learned from this incredible organization into my future.
