Description

This group of courageous, business-oriented women are doing nothing short of redefining gender norms in Sumatra. They began with the hope for a better life economically, and with Café Femenino, they have a program and a means of realizing that dream. Since joining Café Femenino in 2015, they have grown their membership by hundreds of women each year and continue to use their increased premiums to strengthen their skillsets and self-esteem through various capacity-building workshops in leadership, financial management, and human rights. The progress they’ve made has not only inspired more women to rethink their own status in society, it has also compelled the men in their community to change their behavior and views regarding gender roles. Many of the husbands of the Café Femenino Sumatra Program participants are now contributing to their wives’ businesses and directing their own resources toward children’s education and community projects like never before.
