EW4RD – Empowered Woman for Rural Development
Location:
Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Turkey, Spain
Period of implementation:
2020 – 2022
Field of activity – formal/informal/non-formal:
Social entrepreneurship/social innovation; Rural development and urbanisation | non-formal
Funding sources:
Erasmus+
Overall cost/budget:
€70.938
Target group:
- adult education organisations
- adult leaders
- lifelong learning organisations staff
Implementing organization/lead organization:
Lead partner: Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary)
Contact info:
- Gabriell Baráth:
- email: gbarath@kdriu.hu
Resources:
Good practices, recommendations, Compendium of Learning, Training & Teaching Activities, brochures: https://ew4rd-erasmusplus.eu/
Challenge or social need:
Agriculture gives major input for economic activity in rural areas in many coutries in Europe, therefore, women in those ares do play multiple roles in the world’s agriculture systems. Turkey as a candidate for EU membership is compared with other EU countries, its women employment rates in rural area rech up to 46% of total labor force, while another astonishing fact is in Lithuania, where majority of entire population (56%, Eurostats, 2016) lives in rural areas just as similar situation is in Hungary; Bulgaria seems facing challenge of poverty in rural areas just as Spain and Italuy where employement rates in countrysides are less than 60%.
These facts are not a problem, but symptoms of low activity and attention on rural areas sustainalbe development and innovation. Therefore, countries still face prejudices and stereotypes e.g. EIGE’s research shows that narrowing the gender gap in STEM subjects would significantly benefit not just women, but the EU economy as a whole. By 2050, GDP per capita would increase by 3.0% (820 billion euros) and create an additional 1.2 million jobs.
Description:
This project aimed to educate educators and equip leaders in isolated and rural areas with skills and knowledge to address low economic and development activtiy in those areas; to provide them with good practices in partnering countries in order to learn how to develop economic activities and sustain it with regards to ecology, finances and other resources. This was achieved through educating them during 2 training courses (plus study visits), transnational meetings and created training format which will be misseminated in a brochire format.
Benefits/success factors/ measurement of success:
In order to assess the progression and quality of the project activities, a series of outcomes were established, for each specific goal of the project. Each outcome will be measured with
a series of indicators. Indicators for impact will be both: quantitative and qualitative. Mostly preferred are quantitative measures as they don’t need feelings or objective judgement to measure them. They just need mechanical methods that are theoretically expected to give same results, regardless of judging side. On the other hand, qualitative measure do not show numeracy as such, rather, they depict status of something in more qualitative terms. To majority, qualitative measures aren’t so appealing, however, some aspects could be better captured by qualitative measures than quantitative. Properly develped and interpreted former indicators play significant role in identifying constraints to implementation and obstacles to desired outcome which may not be that apparent. Moreover, they are valuable to evaluation process, for these type projects are involved with application changes in communities. They seek o measure impact an aevaluate long-term effects and gains of the project.
Critical points/weaknesses:
Involving participants
Sustainability characteristics:
Participating organizations are also to be the voice of adult people and educators, trained to bring the best and most value from each activity through participation, they are irreplaceable partners in ault work in every country. The sustainable work and networking of these organizations is therefore key to their effectiveness and the effectiveness of rural development. An important component of their results is related to the capacity of their capability to organize and mobilize their members, people in rural areas and adult workers, by using the full range of diverse online and offline tools for boosting active participation and engagement. The idea of the project is linked with the need to support the development of meaningful permaculure, innovative and sustainable practices that will enable higher level participation of women and stimulate economical growth.
Transferability characteristics:
As for transferability, the project can be easily transferable. Since these type of projects can be applied to the improvement of entrepreneurial competencies in numerous fields. In addition, it can be replicated in different countries and with different types of institutions (NGO’s, training centers, companies, public institutions, etc).
Inclusive characteristics/Innovative elements:
Additinally, consortium will continue transferring the project results to partners and other organisations that play a long-term multiplier role, so they can share it within their staff and communities. During the implementation of the project, through all the activities that will be carried on, it is expected that members of the strategic partnership work together also in the identification of new working opportunities. All partners are looking forward to building a strong and solid partnership that makes them able to create new short-term and long-term projects that continue fostering social, inclusive, entrepreneurial activities for adult people with fewer opportunities both urban and countrysde areas.
