Our Approach

EW's 7 stage sustainable development strategy empowers diverse communities to use unique local resources to build healthier, culturally rich and economically robust futures.

1. Identify and engage Partners In Empowerment™ (local and global): community members, collaborating organizations, socially conscious businesses & other stakeholders dedicated to improving human and environmental security.

2. Assess local assets (ethically & ecologically sourced human and natural resources with value-added potential) that can be developed and optimized to create sustainable livelihoods for people in need.

3. Develop a comprehensive community based plan of action with input from diverse PIE sectors, whereby long-term responsibility is shared between stakeholders.

4. Promote practical skill development and technical assistance in project management to maximize local stakeholder impact and self-reliance.

5. Transfer of appropriate technologies and best practices in health, renewable energies, sustainable agriculture, and education.

6. Assist development & marketing of products and services that value & protect indigenous cultural heritage and natural resources.

7. Build creative private/public partnerships fostering economic opportunities for a sustainable future.

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One example of EW’s approach is “Julia’s Home of Happy Colors” orphan care program in Zimbabwe:

1) EW partnered with a local child advocate and social entrepreneur Julia Kunzekwenyika, and Artist who was actively addressing the needs of vulnerable children and raising awareness of AIDS.

2) They identified local assets/ economic opportunities including hand painted textiles, stone sculptures, and art work. T&J Designs- a textile painting cooperative became a fundamental income generating focus with its demonstrated commitment to providing jobs to widows and sponsoring orphans school fees.

3) Together they co-created a plan to establish a community based orphan care program (which was more efficient than that of institutional care and without the stigma of orphanages). EW & the local partners further developed an educational curriculum honoring tradition as well as emphasizing current life-skills.

4) EW assists in program design, and supported Julia’s Home with training in accounting, and other capacity building skills to better manage local services and engaged outside experts in child development to support the special needs of orphans in program.

5) EW connects Julia’s Home to Perma-culture (sustainable agriculture) education group who conduct workshops w/ Julia’s Home staff - promoting food security.

6) local marketing and regional craft exporters are introduced to T&J and begin test marketing of samples to international markets.

Stage 7) Julia’s Home partners with community conscious company T&J textile design, which creates livelihoods for widows and funding for orphan care, building long-term local self-reliance. EW continues to assure a thriving T&J by exploring market opportunities in the US promoting economic sustainability and community based orphan care.