August 7, 2023 – WPDI is proud to roll out its global programs across Mexico and France with support from Sony Music Group, through the company’s Global Social Justice Fund. In the under-recognized and under-resourced communities where our organization operates – which too often feel as if they have been sidelined by the international community – individuals are easily prey to negative forces which undermine their desire for peaceful coexistence and economic stability. In those places, women are by far the first to lose out due to conflict. This situation and the poverty they suffer from only reinforces the fact that traditional values limit their prospects to domestic and subaltern roles, making it highly difficult for them to access the financial, social independence that so many of them crave.
This is why WPDI decided to design a Women Livelihood Program in the framework of our Business Bootcamp initiative. The first of this program is to provide opportunities for women from marginalized communities to access training courses in Business and Entrepreneurship, ICT and Conflict Resolution Education to help them realize their potential as entrepreneurs, income generators and community leaders. In a second step, participants are given the opportunity to propose a business plan idea and take part in Business Plan Competitions, with winners offered kickstart grants and backstop mentoring to help get their business project up and running. Every step of the program has its added value. As for the training courses, the skills learnt will help all trainees improve their employability, affording them more chances to increase their revenue or land a job. As for the women whose business ideas are selected and supported, the small businesses they create generate jobs for themselves and revenue for their households. Moreover, their communities also benefit from the availability of new, relevant services.
In 2023, thanks to Sony Music Group’s support, we are delighted to expand this initiative in two of the countries where we operate: Mexico and France.
In Chiapas, Mexico, a region that has greatly suffered from gang violence and underfunded public services, WPDI started training 40 women and supporting 4 business projects. In France, where WPDI just recently opened our first Community Learning Center in the presence of our CEO and founder, Forest Whitaker, Sony is supporting the training and development of 90 women and 9 business projects.
We are convinced that the partnership and common commitment of Sony Music Group and WPDI to female empowerment will greatly contribute to helping these communities become more resilient and sustainable.
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