For financing to have a meaningful impact, enable sustainable and transformative change in women lives, they cannot focus exclusively on economic empowerment. Instead they should take holistic approaches that take into account financial, legal, social and cultural barriers to gender equality approaches that have potential shift to gender norms.
“In the global south, women’s organizations have been going on for long even before independence from colonial rule for most countries. In the pre-independence period, women organizations had a humble beginning as self-help groups focusing on socio-economic advancement. However, as years progressed, women movements expanded and specifically focused on women’s participation in leadership in both elective and appointive bodies. Currently, the Civil Society encompasses a wide range of organizations which are not under the control of governments and which are not for profit as organizations of the private sector, such as ours, Candle of Hope Foundation. But the misconception of women organisations being used only as mobilisation and not development vehicles has continued to deny women real development chance, for women can’t access direct funding and support from development partners in Global North.
Reflectively, as a woman, growing up in Somali as a girl, wasn’t easy. Most of the time girls are viewed as insignificant in leadership due to cultural beliefs and practices. However, I was inspired by other great world women leaders such as my late mother, Late Mother Theresa, Malala, professor Wangari Mathai and many more, who have stood the ground devoid the odds. One of my greatest motivations has been knowledge that “the seeds of success in every nation on Earth are best planted in women and children”. This was the driving force that saw the birth of a Civil Society Organization; Candle of Hope Foundation. The push behind it came from one isolated moment, a story of a young mother who felt hopelessness after being cast off by her partner and her own family. As well as my passion, professional and academic qualifications as a driving force in championing for women leadership and matters that affect women.
We came together as a group of women with vast experience in humanitarian and development mission to offer hope to the voiceless and hopeless by assisting them find a safe and secure warm shelters, household livelihoods and optimistic future. Candle of Hope Foundation since then has grown advocating for and demanding justice, and providing direct support to survivors of trafficking in persons and smuggling of Migrants as first responders and essential service providers. Towards this end, we have looked at prevention and eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and girls as within our grasp, if our women leaders’ voices are amplified, strategies are valued and are integrated within decision-making spheres. Candle of Hope Foundation as a CSO in the Global South embodies these principles to ensure that a world without violence and discrimination against women and girls is possible.
One major thing to note in the south is that citizen' interests and demands are important function performed by CSOs. Particularly when state policies and the programs of government agencies do not take account sufficiently of needs of the poor or of some other vulnerable sections, CSOs can step into this breach and help to represent their needs and interests. In the global south it is the rural and urban poor, particularly women and children whose concerns are still not addressed adequately or in any effective manner by government departments. Even after a more democratic and representative governments in the south, many women continued to live amid grinding poverty. This is why CSOs have to get together to devise solutions to this problem. This is why as global south CSO we seek for partnerships. For financing to have a meaningful impact, enable sustainable and transformative change in women lives, they cannot focus exclusively on economic empowerment. Instead they should take holistic approaches that take into account financial, legal, social and cultural barriers to gender equality approaches that have potential shift to gender norms."
Candle of Hope Foundation- Nimo Ali-Executive Director
Nimo Ali, Executive Director Candle of Hope Foundation.
The Foundation’s partner organizations are generally managed by women and located in the global South.
The Foundation and its partner organizations keep regular contact; their cooperation is based on mutual trust and transparency.
Project duration: 6 years (2022–2027)
Country: Israel, Westbank and Gaza
Partner organization: KAYAN Feminist Organization, Israel
Project duration: 3 years (2023–2025)
Country: Bolivia (Oruro department)
Partner organization: Asociación Kay Pacha
Project duration: 3 years (2023–2025)
Country: Bolivia, Tumupasa (Amazonía Sur)
Partner organization: Fundación Comunidad Plural (C-Plural)
Project duration: 3 years (2023–2025)
Country: Bolivia, La Paz (El Alto district)
Partner organization: Fundación Machaqa Amawta (FMA)
Project duration: 3 years (10/23–09/26)
Country: Brazil, Minas Gerais state
Partner organization: Instituto Cordilheira, Brazil
Project duration: 3 years (08/23–07/26)
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Partner organization: Amica Educa, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Project duration: 4 years (2022–2025)
Country: Uganda (West Nile Region: Adjumani, Lambwo, Arua Districts)
Partner organization: Women Coalition for Empowerment Eastern Africa WCEEA, Kenya
Project duration: 4 years (2022–2025)
Country: Kenya
Partner organization: Wakina Mama Shupavu, Kenya
Project duration: 3 years (2023–2025)
Country: Bolivia (La Paz Department)
Partner organization: Fundación RENACE (Red Nacional de Acción Ecológica), Bolivia
Project duration: 2 years (2023–2024)
Country: Brazil (Bahia)
Partner organization: Casa de Maria, Brazil
Project duration: 2 years (2022–2023)
Country: Bolivia (Oruro Department)
Partner organization: Colectivo CASA, Bolivia
Project duration: 5 years (2021–2025)
Country: Uganda
Partner organization: Katosi Women Development Trust – KWDT, Uganda
Project duration: 5 years (2021–2025)
Country: Columbia
Partner organizations: CENTRAP, Columbia, and Casa Ernestina Parra, Soacha, Columbia
Project duration: 5 years (2021–2026)
Country: Nepal (Nawalpur and Lalitpur)
Partner organization: Nagarik Aawaz (Citizen’s Voice), Nepal
Project duration: 4 years (2020–2024)
Country: Colombia
Partner organizations: Red Nacional de Mujeres, Bogotá, Colombia
The focus women foundation also supports partner organizations in Switzerland and in Europe, provided they have long-standing good relations for cooperation with women’s organizations in the target country.
Solar Learning for Women
Project duration: 3 years (2024–2026)
Country: Kenya
Partner organizations: Solafrica, Switzerland, and Solar Mtaani, Kenya
The Solar Learning for Women programme provides 300 women with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of solar technology and entrepreneurship. The training focuses on the productive use of solar energy and offers participants attractive, stable and future-oriented career prospects. This empowers Kenyan women. In turn, they will use their knowledge to reduce energy poverty in the region.
> solafrica.ch
Sharing knowledge and experience
Project duration: 6 years (2019–2024)
Country: Nicaragua and further Latin-American states
Partner organizations: Swiss Association for Women’s Solar Projects in Nicaragua (Nicasolar), Switzerland, and Frutesól, Nicaragua
Members of the Frutesól organization share their experience of many years in organic farming and building solar cookers and driers with other women’s organizations. Implementing such environmentally friendly practices enables these women to mitigate the impact of climate change and to contribute to food security in their communities.
Cooking together helps to solve conflicts
Project duration: 5 years (2021–2025)
Country: Lebanon
Partner organizations: Cuisine sans frontières, Switzerland, and Makani Association, Lebanon
In the Burj El Barajneh refugee camp in Beirut, a restaurant that is accessible only for women and their children was built in cooperation with Makani. It is the only place in the camp where women can meet outside of their homes.
In addition, operating the cafeteria is creating work and training opportunities for women.
Networking for peace
Project duration: 3 years (2021–2023)
Country: worldwide
Partner organization: PWAG (Peace-Women across the Globe), Switzerland
PWAG has been building a network of female peace activists across the world since 2003. The project “Feminists Connecting for Peace” aims at strengthening and expanding the existing net-work. It provides its members with a space for joint learning and exchange of experiences. In ad-dition, it serves as a platform for women to formulate demands that can then be put forward in decision-making processes and taken before the public.
Sanitary pads and education
Project duration: 7 years (2021–2027)
Country: Cameroun and Togo
Partner organization: International Alliance of Women (IAW), Switzerland
The project’s key focus lies on youth education days addressing health, menstruation, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, and gender equality. Young women as well as men are welcome to attend these education events.
For women refugees
Project duration: 6 years (2021–2026)
Country: Greece
Partner organization: SAO Association, Switzerland
Female refugees are more often exposed to gender-specific violence. SAO operates two sanctuar-ies for particularly vulnerable women refugees: one on Lesbos (Bashira Center) and another in Athens (Amina Center). The women are provided with legal counselling, psychosocial support, and medical care.
Women’s power for Lima
Project duration: 6 years (2020–2025)
Country: Peru
Partner organizations: emp’Act, Switzerland and DESCO, Peru
The project called “Ciudad Mujer” (“A city for women”) uses further education events to strength-en 80 women’s organizations and enable them to participate more strongly in governmental and decision-making processes, as well as to defend their interests successfully.
Project duration: 3 years (2022–2024)
Country: Morocco
Partner organizations: Frieda - The Feminist Peace Organisation, Switzerland, and INSAF, Morocco
The project “Karamtna – our dignity” was created in Casablanca by the Frieda’s partner organization INSAF. Its aim is to help improve the socio-economic position of unmarried mothers who live in precarious conditions. A vast range of offers includes medical and legal advice, as well as training opportunities.
The long road to financial independence
Project duration: 4 years (2022–2025)
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Partner organizations: IAMANEH, Switzerland, and Budućnost, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Many women victims of gender-specific violence remain trapped in their domestic environment because they are economically dependent. The program implemented by Budućnost and IAMANEH aims at enabling affected women to break out of this vicious circle with the help of psychological counselling and legal advice.
With a further education program, they can improve their chances on the labour market.
“Trabajo Digno” – dignity at work
Project duration: 6 years (2020–2025)
Country: Honduras
Partner organizations: Brücke Le Pont, Switzerland, and Centro de Estudios de la Mujer, Honduras
In Honduras, approximately 100 000 girls and women aged between 15 and 25 work as house-maids. They do not know their rights and are therefore often exploited by their employers. Many of them also experience sexual violence. The “Trabajo Digno” project initiated by Brücke Le Pont helps women to stand up for themselves and to claim their right to having a dignified job. To achieve this, the organization uses further education, an expansion of the existing network of do-mestic staff, as well as initiatives at legislative level.
Prevention of violence in Jerusalem’s Arab communities
Project duration: 3 years (06/22–05/25)
Country: Israel
Partner organizations: Jerusalem Rape Crisis Centre (JRCC), Israel, and Surgir Foundation, Switzerland
JRCC provides legal and psychosocial help for victims of sexual violence. Until now, the institution’s services were used mainly by the Jewish population of Jerusalem. With the aim of improving access for Arab women, the center wants to counter sexual violence against women by implementing an information program dedicated to the Arab communities in the city, as well as to offer legal support to affected women.
Independent Girls
Project duration: 2 years (2023—2024)
Country: Lebanon, Beqaa Valley
Partner organization: Zeltschule e.V., Germany
In Syria, millions of people have become refugees from the civil war. Through an education offer for refugee camps in Syria and Lebanon, the German organization Zeltschule e.V. helps young people to gain a perspective for their future. The project supported by focus women enables teenage girls to attend a secondary school or to receive vocational training by attending one of the association’s workshops.
LAS PIONERAS – a self-aid group that sets an example
Project duration: 2 years (2023–2024)
Country: Peru (Lima)
Partner organizations: ECO SOLIDAR, Switzerland, and IDEMNNA, Peru
IDEMNNA helps women to put their own business ideas into practice. Issues such as violence, self-esteem and personal development are addressed in workshops, with the aim of combating poverty and violence and strengthening the women’s position.
Supporting formerly imprisoned women
Project duration: 3 years (2023–2025)
Country: El Salvador
Partner organizations: Women’s collective “Mujeres libres”, El Salvador, and medico international, Switzerland
In El Salvador, abortion is a serious offence. This applies even when a pregnancy puts the woman’s health at risk or is the result of rape. The “Mujeres Libres” collective is committed to help women who were imprisoned for abortion, many of them for years, and supports them in their first steps to reintegrate society. “Mujeres libres” also advocates women’s sexual and reproductive rights.
Not alone
Project duration: 2 years (2023–2024)
Country: various
Partner organization: Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV), Switzerland
The Society for Threatened Peoples campaigns for the rights of indigenous peoples. With this project, the STP supports indigenous women in setting up a network. This provides them with a platform where they can exchange experiences on the cultural, social and economic development of their communities.