Women Forward International

ADVANCING WOMEN TO ADVANCE HUMANITY

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2019, WOMEN FORWARD INTERNATIONAL HAS DEVELOPED PROGRAMS TO MEET ITS CORE MISSION TO ADVANCE WOMEN FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMANITY THROUGH UNITY, COLLABORATION, AND SERVICE.WFI HAS ESTABLISHED A STRONG TRACK RECORD WITH PROGRAMS IMPACTING THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND MEN IN FIFTEEN COUNTRIES ACROSS FOUR CONTINENTS AND TWELVE UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS. NOW THAT WFI HAS IDENTIFIED ROOT CAUSES OF GENER INEQUITIES AS WELL AS WHERE IT CAN BEST ADDRESS THESE CAUSES, IT IS FOCUSING ON EXPANDING ITS PROGRAMS IN THREE MAIN IMPACT AREAS OF UNIVERSAL RELEVANCE FOR GENDER EQUITY:1) CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE FARMING, INCLUDING FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS, THE MOST VULNERABLE DEMOGRAPHIC TO FOOD INSECURITY2) WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ARTISANSHIP, AN INDUSTRY IN WHICH WOMENS' LABOR IS UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERCOMPENSATED GLOBALLY3) WOMENS AND GIRLS' EDUCATION THROUGH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS WHERE THEY OFTEN HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO VOCATIONAL RESOURCESTO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT, WFI IS CULTIVATING TWO MAJOR PROGRAMS: ONE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WITH NEW YORK UNIVERSITY IN ABU DHABI AND THE SUSTAINABLE FOOD TRUST THAT WILL ESTABLISH A TEMPLATE FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING AND GENDER EQUITY IN A REGION THAT IS TAKING LEADERSHIP IN COP28; AND ONE IN MEXICO WITH THE AUTONOMOUS METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO AND WHITE PONY EXPRESS THAT IS PILOTING A FOOD RESCUE AND SHARED ABUNDANCE PROGRAM IN VERACRUZ, ONE OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY, TO BUILD OUT A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM OF VOLUNTEER-DRIVE FOOD RESCUE.TO ADDRESS WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, WFI IS BUILDING OUT ITS CRAFTSVILLAGE FOR INDIAN WOMEN ARTISANS IN AURANGABAD OF THE HIMROO WEAVING TRADITION, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF INDIA'S CULTURAL HERITAGE DATING FROM THE 12TH CENTURY. WFI HAS ESTABLISHED MULTIPLE SKILLS BUILDING AND FUNDING PARTNERS WHO WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRAINING AND BUILDING OF THE CRAFTSVILLAGE AS WELL AS HELP OPEN THE US MARKET TO THESE GOODS THROUGH WFI'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN IN NEW YORK.WFI IS ALSO PARTNERING PERSONS WITH TURQUOISE MOUNTAIN IN AFGHANISTAN TO BENEFIT AFGHAN WOMEN CARPET WEAVERS. WFI WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CRAFTSWOMEN OF JAMAICA, WHOSE COLLECTIVE IS ALSO REDUCING GANG VIOLENCE IN THEIR CITY. FINALLY, WFI WILL CONTINUE ITS PROGRAMS WITH SCIENCES PO IN FRANCE TO UPLIFT THE LIVES OF UKRAINIAN WOMEN REFUGEES AND ARTISANS IN COLLABORATION WITH NEST.TO ADDRESS WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' EDUCATION THROUGH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, WFI HAS PARTNERED LYNN UNIVERSITY WITH THE AFGHAN INSTITUTE OF LEARNING TO BUILD OUT COMPUTER LABS, SUPPORT TELEVISION EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND PROVIDE NEW GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS REQUIRES ONGOING FUNDING SUPPORT, AND WFI HAS PRIORITIZED ITS FUNDRAISING TO ENABLE THEM TO GROW. IT IS CURRENTLY AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF FUNDRAISING FOR EACH ONE, AND IS EXPANDING ITS NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE AND MAKE THIS PROCESS SUCCESSFUL.