Livelihoods
‘Investing in women builds strong economies, inclusive communities, and vibrant societies’
Addressing the constraints to women's economic empowerment is fundamental to poverty reduction and food security, inclusive & sustainable economic growth, and the achievement of gender equality. Approaches to economic empowerment include increasing skills and access to productive resources, improving the enabling and institutional environment, and assisting women in their ability to make and act upon decisions regarding economic growth and development. Building skills for women can be viewed as an instrument to empower the individual and improve his/her social acceptance or value.
PAF aims to improve the capacities and skills of women living in slums, it organizes training on skill development for targeted women. The training modules get selected based on the need analysis conducted before the start of the sessions. PAF aims to level the field of employment for disadvantaged women by enhancing their livelihood opportunities that will enhance their economic status, dignity, and decision-making within their families.
As per the reports of WHO, the COVID-19, first reported in December 2019, put the whole world in an unprecedented crisis and lingering uncertainty with innumerable deaths, generalized economic depression, unemployment, quarantine, unavoidable lockdown, and travel-ban that was imposed globally as a necessity to tackle the pandemic. Among the populace, the migrant daily wagers were found to be one of the most vulnerable groups in this lockdown, as their very livelihood came to a complete standstill; as a result, they could not meet theirs as well as their families’ daily needs. The migrants were found to be the most vulnerable among the working class to come under this economic fallout. To make matters worse, the pandemic affected people not only physically but also psychologically, economically, socially, and politically.
Proaction Foundation decided to respond to this crisis with a small intervention in one of the urban settlements called Shahpur Jat in Delhi. Shahpur Jat is located near the ruins of centuries-old Siri Fort. It is a tiny urban village that is home to designers’ studios and individual shops. Several low-key coffee shops and bistros serve a mix of Indian and western food. Sahpur Jat has migrant workers mainly from Bihar and West Bengal and they are either unskilled or semi-skilled working in nearby factories that make bangle, accessories, or do embroidery work and get paid on a piece basis.
Proaction Foundation distributed ration kits to 55 beneficiaries that contained items essential for day-to-day use in the kitchen like rice, pulses, refined oil, turmeric powder, salt, flour, spices, and chili powder.