HERA (Her Equality Rights and Autonomy) works with women victims and those vulnerable to trafficking, conflict, and other forms of violence and exploitation, to pursue their aspirations and ambitions for a better life. HERA’s objective for all grants is to promote women’s entrepreneurship and employment so as to prevent dangerous migration. Since 2005, HERA has supported 945 women in 8 countries to achieve economic freedom. As a result, 85% of HERA women advance their careers each year, through employment, apprenticeships and/or starting their own ventures across a wide array of industries – dentistry, creative arts, fashion, care services, catering, medicine, law and accounting.
1. Grants
HERA provides grants of €500 – €1500 (averaging €700) to purchase needed equipment for young women’s ventures and social enterprises that have begun operating or to scale up established women-owned businesses to create new jobs for young women. In order to secure a grant, women submit an application of their business plan. Often times the women will contribute some of their own savings toward the business, giving a sense of ownership.
2. Empowerment through education
1:1 mentorship and training programmes enable women to:
Identify individual strengths & preferences
Develop critical business skills
Establish career goals & objectives
Develop business plans and implement them
With the on-going support of their mentor, participants will work toward achieving sustainable financial and economic autonomy.
