Empowerment for Transformation (E4T)
Empowerment for Transformation (E4T)
Duration: 2022
Background
Chereponi District in Northern Ghana has been plagued by recurrent ethnic conflicts that have
disproportionately impacted women and children, exacerbating economic vulnerabilities and
disrupting social cohesion. These conflicts have created a cycle of instability that threatens livelihoods and educational opportunities, particularly for girls who face high dropout rates due to teenage pregnancy (23% district average) and labor migration for head-pottery work. Recognizing women's unique position as both conflict-affected individuals and potential peacebuilders, Savana Signatures partnered with the Chereponi District Assembly to implement the Empowerment for Transformation (E4T) program. This initiative specifically targeted 50 women from existing Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) across 10 communities, leveraging their economic networks as platforms for peacebuilding and intergenerational empowerment.
Strategy
The E4T program adopted an integrated approach combining economic empowerment with conflict resolution and intergenerational education:
- Conducted specialized training modules for 100 VSLA women covering:
- Advanced financial literacy (business management, smart savings)
- Conflict resolution techniques tailored to local disputes
- Women’s rights education with emphasis on decision-making roles
- Established revolving loan funds to strengthen VSLA capital bases
- Created leadership pathways for women in community peace processes
- Provided rights-based training for 50 daughters of VSLA members focusing on:
- Sexual abuse prevention and reporting mechanisms
- Importance of educational continuity
- Safe sexual decision-making
- Developed school-based girl champion networks
- Addressed root causes of dropout through economic support to mothers
- Formalized partnerships with District Assembly for program sustainability
- Built bridges between traditional leadership and women’s groups
- Integrated peacebuilding metrics into VSLA operations
Key Highlights
Economic & Social Transformation
- 100% of participating VSLA groups incorporated conflict sensitivity into operations
- Documented 40% increase in women’s participation in household financial decisions
- Enabled 10 women to take leadership roles in community dispute resolution
Educational Impact
- 50 girl champions established peer networks in 10 schools
- Reduced dropout intentions among participants by 65%
- Increased awareness of sexual abuse reporting channels
Peacebuilding Outcomes
- 80% of trained women actively mediating local conflicts
- Strengthened social cohesion through inter-VSLA collaborations
- District Assembly adoption of women-led peacebuilding model
Scalable Model Developed
- Demonstrated effectiveness of economic groups as peacebuilding platforms
- Created replicable training curriculum combining financial and conflict resolution skills
- Established intergenerational approach to breaking cycles of violence
The E4T program’s innovative linking of microfinance with peacebuilding has shown how women’s economic empowerment can be a powerful vehicle for community stabilization. The project addressed both the financial drivers of conflict and the educational vulnerabilities of girls, to create a sustainable framework for lasting change in Chereponi, one that transforms women from victims of instability to architects of peace while securing brighter futures for their daughters.