What we do

What we do

Since 1993, Women for Women International has been helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives and choose their own futures - so far, we have helped more than 479,000 marginalised women in 8 countries affected by war and conflict.

Our work

Empowering women to reach their full potential

Women for Women International helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives. We have over 20 years of on-the-ground experience working with women in countries affected by conflict.

Our programme

Our year-long programme equips women to earn money, regain their confidence and actively participate in their communities

When a woman joins the programme, she comes together with 24 other women, forming a tight support group that helps to break the isolation caused by war and insecurity.

She learns a marketable job skill - such as tailoring, bread-making or poultry-keeping, as well as business training to turn her chosen skill into a stable income so she can support herself and her family. She can begin to save her money, too, and receives support to establish cooperatives, associations, or village savings and loan associations (VSLAs) so she and other women in her community can make the most of their earnings.

She also learns practical knowledge about her health, including reproductive health, stress management and the importance of good hygiene and nutrition so she can protect herself and her family from preventable disease. We make sure she is connected to local healthcare providers.

She also learns about her rights on key issues like voting, access to land, divorce, custody of her children and domestic abuse. Once she learns her rights she is empowered and equipped to stand up for them and can share her knowledge with others in her community.

Programme graduates weaving baskets at the Women — Photo: Alison Wright

After Graduation

Once women have completed our year-long training, we continue to support their economic empowerment by connecting them to financial services, advanced business and vocational trainings, and support networks to increase their ability to earn, save, and access capital.

By inducing long-term change we hope to make a difference for generations to come.

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Taking Action

Find out more about the issues women survivors of war face and how we are working to amplify the changes that women are driving forward in their communities through our national and global advocacy efforts.

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Complementary Programmes

Change Agents Programme

Supporting women to have influence in their communities is critical to their empowerment and promoting gender equality. We provide advanced training in leadership and advocacy for select graduates of our year-long programme so that they can push for changes that they want to see.

Men's Engagement Programme

In order to help women to break through the stereotypes that limit their opportunities, we work with men to challenge discrimination and help them become allies in the fight for gender equality. Since 2002, we have worked with almost 30,000 men through our Men's Engagement Programme.

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Since 2002, Women for Women International - Afghanistan has served more than 109,000 women through our year-long programme.

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From 1993 to 2015, Women for Women International served nearly 62,000 women in Bosnia and Herzegovina across 50 communities of various ethnicities.

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Since 2004, Women for Women International – Democratic Republic of Congo has served more than 91,000 women through our year-long programme.

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Amal, a Syrian refugee we worked with in KRI. Photo: Alison Baskerville

In response to the ongoing crisis in the region, Women for Women International is supporting Syrian refugees, displaced Iraqi and Yezidi women. In 2017 we opened a Women for Women International office and enrolled the first 300 women to begin our year-long programme.

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Between 1999 and 2016, Women for Women International – Kosovo served more than 33,000 women through the year-long training programme.

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Talatu graduated from our programme in Nigeria, “The most important thing I learnt was about poultry keeping. I didn’t know how to take care of the chicks and how to keep them healthy.”

Since 2000, Women for Women International – Nigeria has served more than 60,000 women through our year-long programme in Enugu and Plateau states.

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Since 1997, Women for Women International – Rwanda has served more than 75,000 women through our year-long programme.

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Established in 2006, Women for Women International - UK raises funds and awareness for women survivors of war.

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Women for Women International was founded in 1993 as a grassroots humanitarian and development organisation dedicated to serving women survivors of war.

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Country Offices

Our Work in Afghanistan

Since 2002, Women for Women International - Afghanistan has served more than 109,000 women through our year-long programme.

Our Work in DRC

Since 2004, Women for Women International – Democratic Republic of Congo has served more than 91,000 women through our year-long programme.

Our Work in Iraq

We are working with women in Iraq to help them overcome severe emotional trauma, teach them about their rights, acquire new business and vocational skills, and form networks for support and advocacy.