The Dragonfly Project

Update 2012
To see what has been happening with this project in 2012, click here.
Dragonfly Project Logo

Why The AWF Dragonfly Project?
We have a mother. We have sisters. We have aunts. We have cousins. We have grandmothers. They are all women who we love and care for. This is true of all women in Sierra Leone. We feel they deserve opportunities to make dreams come true.

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A Place For Women in York Village, Sierra Leone creates space and opportunity to explore and discover talents. It is focused on sharing skills, education, social, cultural and business opportunities to create a world of their own. It is the first of many such women's resource centres that the AWF is opening in collaboration with local communities.

This first centre will open July 2012. As young women, we want to learn about and understand their culture and values, and bring this knowledge home. We believe that through women working together, we can create a new world.
Why Us?
We are young and passionate volunteers who want to make a change in women's lives. We have the time and willingness to learn from foreign cultures. We can inspire other women to explore their (hidden) talents, to find their passion and even encourage them to set up their own sustainable business through our micro-financing initiatives. And we in turn want to be inspired by their experiences.
African Woman
What we can do
We can collaborate with local women's groups to form a community based centre for women, a space where they can discuss issues of concern to them, where educational materials will be available and through which there will be resources to help them take more control of their lives. Some elements of these 'women's centres' might include:
  • Making them feel welcome and to ensure that women feel free to talk, through the creation of an energetic environment by the provision of music and food.
  • Women's issues should be addressed through the use of film and the women's own experiences.
  • As many of these women will have young children, a crèche should be provided so that the centre would be accessible to them.
  • These centres should focus on women as a whole and therefore it should be women volunteers talking and informing them so that they will feel comfortable to share their experiences.
  • These centres will evolve around trust and it is much more likely that they will trust women than men.
  • The aim is not to impose our values, but to work with local women groups to form a centre for women in the surrounding areas.
  • For these women the main problem is that although many of them have the ability to thrive for a better life they aren't given the opportunity to do so.
  • Enabling these women to gain access to an income through providing them with jobs will give them a degree of independence.
  • Working along with these women to develop their confidence so that they feel able to speak out and work towards improving public awareness.
  • These women are a key primary source and through communication we can understand the silent problems they endure and understand their hardships.


Why Sierra Leone?
We already have a volunteer base in York Village. Our volunteers have worked with this community before and our presence has been accepted. We believe it is fundamental to collaborate with local people, to gain knowledge about their culture and their way of life. We have already identified leading women within the community who will be the main drivers of this project.


Action
Over the next nine months, we are contacting Women's Groups globally; raising awareness of our programme through various campaigns (on e.g. International Women's Day, Mother's Day etc.) and we are carrying out fundraising efforts. In the summer of 2012 we will travel to York Village to work with local women to set up the centre: A Place For Women. We will be collaborating with the AWF's Children & Education programme to form a cohesive space.
Dragonfly

A PLACE FOR WOMEN - KEY SPACES
Creative Arts Resource Space
  • Photography & Film
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Theatre, Music & Dance
  • Cooking
  • Creative Writing
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    Bat 4

    Skills space for Female Entrepeneurs
  • Library
  • Jewellery and Clothing Design and Production
  • Hairdressing and Cosmetics

    • Business and Office Space
  • Micro Finance Studio
  • Contact Desk
  • Books
    • Educational Room
  • Literacy Help
  • Library
    • Health, Nutrition and Wellness
  • Free referrals to medical and mental help providers
  • Booklets, Flyers & Textbooks on Health, Nutrition and Wellness
    • The Lounge
  • Comfortable relaxing space where women can share stories, ideas and inspiration
    • Exhibition Gallery
  • Local artists exhibit Photography, Paintings, Jewellery and other Arts and Crafts
  • Special Event and Networking space
    • Créche
  • Safe, Educational and Fun area for children


    • The Team


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