Changes in Rural Women’s Leadership: The Effects of Funding Women’s Community Organizations in Senegal

2014 - PDF - As part of its strategic grantmaking to support women and their families to overcome poverty, violence and injustice in Africa, New Field focused part of its efforts on southern Senegal as it emerged from twenty years of conflict. During 2006-2012, $3.5 million was awarded in 90 main grants to 20 non-profit organizations that served rural women in Casamance. In turn, 6 of these organizations awarded 257 community grants totaling $1,347,663 to 116 women’s community organizations for positive change.

The evaluation showed that when women’s community organizations are given grants averaging $5000 a year for at least two years, the wellbeing and economic stability of participating rural women, and their families, significantly improve. These grants revitalized the participating organizations and improved their organizational leadership, which in turn led to increased leadership among women in the community and personal development among members.

Full download of the study available - Changes in Rural Women’s Leadership