Through women for water, GWC is partnering with Ford Fund and Rede Asta to produce 27,000 fabric masks for high-need communities in Brazil. The project will also empower women artisans through mask production. The artisans will receive a stipend for their work and participate in Rede Asta's Artisan Business School program and learn skills to develop their own businesses. For every dollar donated, Ford Fund will match 100% up to $24,000 and GlobalGiving will match 50% for over 2.5 the impact!!
There are over 3.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases across Brazil, with approximately 800,000 in Sao Paulo alone. As a result of the pandemic, many Brazilian artisans and seamstresses are now unemployed and are experiencing challenges in providing for themselves and their families. Low-income communities, in particular, are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 virus, as they often lack adequate sanitary infrastructure and supplies to protect themselves.
This project responds to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil by empowering women artisans and seamstresses through mask sewing. The masks are then distributed to low-income communities in need of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a first line of defense against COVID-19. The women artisans then participate in Rede Asta's Artisan Business School 6-month program where they attend entrepreneurial trainings on financial management, marketing production development and other topics.
Artisans will participate in Rede Asta's Artisan Business School, allowing individuals to establish or grow their own businesses for sustainable future income. By doing so, it provides women from low-income and vulnerable communities with an education and opportunities for income-generation, while simultaneously supporting the community's COVID-19 response. The project will continue to support the women artisans after the project closes through Artisan Business School online courses.
