Empower50women:Design Thinking for Gender Equality

Action Lab for Development is grateful to our donors, volunteers, partners, and supporters who have continued to encourage the Empower50Women: Design Thinking for Gender Equality campaign since our previous report on June 1, 2026.

At the time of our June report, the campaign had raised $50 USD from 2 donors toward its $8,000 USD fundraising goal. The campaign has since received additional support and currently shows $51 USD raised from 4 donations, with $7,949 remaining toward the overall goal. While fundraising remains below the level required for full project implementation, the continued support demonstrates that there is interest in the initiative and its goal of equipping women and disadvantaged youth in Cameroon with practical skills for creativity, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and employment.

Progress Since June 1

Since the previous report, Action Lab for Development has continued working to build the foundation necessary for implementation. The organisation has maintained its volunteer and online engagement efforts, promoted its development initiatives through digital platforms, and continued developing relationships with individuals and institutions that may contribute to the project's future implementation.

The campaign has also remained part of Action Lab's broader efforts to promote women's empowerment, youth development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical skills development. Rather than beginning activities without sufficient resources, the organisation has continued to focus on responsible mobilisation, partnership development, preparation of training resources, and identifying appropriate community and institutional stakeholders.

A particular area of progress has been continued exploration of potential institutional and community partnerships that could support implementation. Action Lab has been engaging with stakeholders who could contribute technical knowledge, community access, mobilisation, training, or other forms of support. These relationships are important because the project is designed not simply as a one-time seminar, but as a practical initiative that can connect women and disadvantaged youth with useful skills and opportunities.

Challenges Faced

The principal challenge remains insufficient financial resources. The amount raised so far is not yet sufficient to cover the planned training, participant support, venue, facilitation, awareness, and other implementation costs. GlobalGiving currently records the campaign at $51 raised against an $8,000 goal, leaving $7,949 to raise.

This funding gap has meant that Action Lab has continued with preparation and mobilisation rather than proceeding with the full workshop programme without adequate resources. Increasing visibility, reaching new donors, developing partnerships, and converting public interest into financial support also remain important challenges.

What We Have Learned

The period since June has reinforced an important lesson for the project: successful community empowerment requires more than a training curriculum. It requires sustained mobilisation, trusted local partnerships, adequate resources, and opportunities for participants to apply what they learn.

For this reason, Action Lab continues to view design thinking not simply as a classroom subject, but as a practical approach that can help women and young people understand challenges, identify opportunities, develop ideas, test solutions, and create pathways towards employment or entrepreneurship.

Next Steps

Over the coming reporting period, Action Lab for Development will:

Continue fundraising toward the $8,000 USD project target.

Strengthen digital storytelling and donor outreach around the campaign.

Expand volunteer participation in awareness and fundraising activities.

Continue developing partnerships with community organisations, educational institutions, businesses, and relevant public-sector stakeholders.

Finalise and strengthen training materials and workshop plans.

Identify participants and implementation arrangements as funding becomes available.

Continue promoting design thinking as a practical tool for women's empowerment, youth development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic inclusion.

Looking Ahead

The Empower50Women: Design Thinking for Gender Equality project remains active and committed to its original purpose: creating practical opportunities for women and disadvantaged youth in Cameroon to develop the confidence, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and innovation skills needed to participate more fully in economic and community life.

Although the project has not yet reached the fundraising level required for implementation at the planned scale, the campaign continues to build awareness, relationships, volunteer engagement, and institutional support. The additional donations received since June are a reminder that progress can begin with small steps, and we remain committed to building on that support.

We sincerely thank every donor, volunteer, partner, and supporter who has contributed to this journey. Every donation helps move the project closer to implementation, while every partnership and act of encouragement strengthens our ability to reach women and young people with practical opportunities for learning and economic empowerment.

Together, we can turn ideas into skills, skills into opportunities, and opportunities into lasting change.