Refugee Women Empowerment

The Arev Society and the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development support refugee women to create income-generating activities.

Life takes you down many different paths, whether you want it or not. In a short span of four years, the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) got to experience the disastrous side of this expression firsthand. Thousands of families forcibly displaced from their homes had to leave behind everything they had worked hard to achieve and find new ways to settle down to survive.

However, the world is unfair, and mere pity does not solve any problems, and that is precisely the case for refugee women. They had no time to plunge into sorrow and figure out how to live through the grief of losing their loved ones because the question of the survival of their families depended solely on them, as the majority ended up widowed or the sole provider of the family with their husbands disabled and deprived of the ability to work.

Collecting all imaginable power, these women had to stand up again and continue fighting for the sake of their children, parents, lost or disabled husbands, and, finally, for their own sake because now they stand alone. Alone against the relentless reality.

Alas, there are not many efficient options to ensure a stable income.

The state allowance is hardly enough to make ends meet, and the one-time contributions of compassionate individuals only help alleviate the financial burden of the day and do not provide options for further development and continuous growth.

On the other hand, finding a job immediately is “mission impossible” in progressing unemployment. With the harsh competition in the labor market and a lack of adapted vocational education or skills, getting a job is a big challenge.

In addition, refugee women are burdened by the responsibilities of taking care of their children and, oftentimes, the whole family; hence, landing and sustaining a part-time job is tricky, let alone a full-time position.

The support of small businesses stands out as one of the most proficient ways to help vulnerable women, as entrepreneurship has long been recognized as a catalyst for economic growth and social development. The advantages concern numerous aspects of life, notably:

Economic aspects

The creation of small businesses empowers not only vulnerable women but also the community. Establishing workplaces and generating strong relationships between multiple economic agents, such as local employees, suppliers, and service providers, actively stimulates the local economy. In the grand scheme, their input is pivotal in decreasing poverty rates, creating a win-win situation for all involved.

Setting up a micro-enterprise is not the only way to achieve socio-economic integration. Still, it is one of the most suitable means for refugees, especially when it is a micro-business activity, because it doesn’t require complex administrative procedures, and taxation is almost non-existent.

Another reason to opt for small business creation is the reduced initial investment required, even with limited resources. However, for refugee women, this mission is challenging to accomplish.

The existing micro-credit schemes and unsecured business loans often have high-interest rates, which can cripple the business from the outset.

Social aspects

Becoming an entrepreneur and actively engaging in a work environment helps refugee women escape stigma and prejudice and obtain a more respectable social position. Moreover, it gives them access to the entrepreneurial community, enlarging their social network and providing a valuable experience exchange.

Thanks to income-generating activities, refugee women reduce their dependence on social assistance and ensure better access to education, health care, better nutrition, and decent housing.

Psychological aspects

One of the most vital aspects of supporting small business creation is undoubtedly its psychological impact. Aiding women in creating their businesses is the best way to encourage them to heal from all the horrible events they have lived through. It helps ease the pain of loss by assisting them in doing the things they love and enjoy, making them feel part of a bigger, brighter future, which they actively contribute to, and letting them feel as valued and important as they are. Moreover, economic well-being grants them independence, dignity, and pride in their achievements. They thrive and stand bravely on their own two feet. These women can even change people around them by serving as an immaculate example of resilience and courage.

Personal aspects

Time and resource management flexibility is very well suited to refugees with family commitments or particular constraints. For example, we have many female beneficiaries of our similar projects who will not be able to become salaried employees because their husbands are severely disabled and need permanent assistance, or they have small children, and most jobs require incompatible working hours.

Conclusion

Supporting refugee women in creating their own small businesses is a powerful economic empowerment and social integration approach.

The Arev Society and the Armenian Fund for Sustainable Development support women refugees’ economic empowerment through income-generating activity creation, which is realized by providing in-kind contribution grants to finance the acquisition of essential equipment and livestock, enabling these women to launch and sustain their entrepreneurial ventures.

Story originally published on https://medium.com/@arevsociety/5791399c10b9