Program: Economic Resilience & Leadership Development Program for Rural & Remote women in Fiji

Timeframe: July 2022- June 2025

Focus Area: Women’s Leadership and Decision Making and Women’s Economic Empowerment

Location: Ra, Tikina Yakete, Ba, Bua, Macuata,  Kioa Island, Rotuma, Nairai, Udu Point, Lau (Moce), Navosa, Kioa Island

Rise Beyond the Reef, founded in 2013, addresses unique development needs for rural remote Pacific communities, improving women’s and children’s lives through ecologically sustainable income-generating projects using traditional skills and materials, addressing gender inequalities, building women leaders, and empowering women and girl survivors of domestic violence. Rise Beyond the Reef operates at the local level, in municipalities or groups within a division.

Website: www.risebeyondthereef.org

Project Date: February 2018 – January 2020
Grant Value: Type A – FJ $300,000
Area of Focus: Economic & Leadership Development for Rural Remote Women
Project Status: COMPLETE

Research shows that personal and economic empowerment makes women and, girls less vulnerable to violence. RBTR’s flagship project is the Traditional Contemporary Arts and Crafts Income-Generating Program in 10 communities specifically targeting women.

The program provides women with:

(a) Community liaisons and leadership development opportunities;
(b) Income-development opportunities;
(c) Skill development and lifelong learning;
(d) Additional markets via private sector partnership creation;
(e) Promotion and preservation of traditional art and skills.

A grant from the Fiji Women’s Fund will allow RBTR to empower rural women through training and leadership development, to take greater control of their lives by resisting traditional social structure and kinship norms that result in high rates of domestic violence. Income earned by rural remote women typically goes back into the community.