About Us
Our Vision
To empower women in the northern areas of Central and South Asia to achieve gender equality and alleviate poverty.
Our Mission
To work among the most disadvantaged and remote communities to promote local infrastructures, micro-lending enterprises and ensure all men, women, and children have access to quality education and healthcare. WEIF will provide immediate disaster relief to affected communities during periods of emergency with aftermath reconstruction.
Our Goal
To facilitate lifelong, positive changes in the lives of men, women, and children by implementing programs which create sustainable solutions. WEIF believes that through a multifaceted approach of education infrastructure, clinics, and hostels for girls, and micro lending enterprises for women, the entire community will succeed in instilling permanent, positive changes.
WEIF will assist the affected communities with immediate relief and redevelopment of their communities during times of emergencies and natural disasters.
Our Programs
Our programs follow the Canadian International Development Agency's (CIDA) guidelines and focuses on core social issues, namely:
- Education;
- Infrastructure development;
- Economic development;
- Health care; and
- Assistance during periods of emergencies and natural disasters.
Detailed information about our programs and operation is provided in WEIF's annual report.
Our History & Projects Undertaken
Women's Empowerment International Foundation was incorporated and registered under Alberta’s Societies Act on November 22, 2002. WEIF received its registration and status as a charitable organization effective January 1, 2004 from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
In November 2006, WEIF registered as a National Charitable Organization with the intention of establishing local chapters in towns and cities across Canada.
Since 2004, WEIF has supported approximately 400 underprivileged and orphaned students from Northern Pakistan and 100 students from Mumbai, India by defraying their tuition fees.
Our first educational infrastructure project in 2006 was the construction of a Girls' High School in Rahimabad, Gilgit, Northern Areas of Pakistan. Click for more info.
WEIF funded the construction of a two-classroom extension to the existing community school in Nomal, Gilgit, Northern Areas of Pakistan. Click for more info.
In 2008, in collaboration with the local communities, WEIF initiated the construction of an English Medium School, in Arkari, District of Chitral, North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Click for more info.
In 2009, WEIF undertook a pilot project “Peer Lending Circles”, a microcredit project aimed at assisting women in Northern Areas of Pakistan to establish small businesses, achieve economic independence, and alleviate poverty. In 2010, Alberta’s Community Initiative Program (CIP) provided grant-funding for the set up of an additional 15 peer lending circles, consisting of a maximum of five women in each circle, in Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Click for more info.
Also in 2009, WEIF partnered with Al-Noor Organization Lasht (ANMOL) to address the lack of educational facilities catering to young children (ages 3 to 6) in the district of Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan Province, Pakistan. This project was completed in December 2010. Click for more info
In 2010, WEIF partnered with Girivanavasi Educational Trust (GVET), an NGO based in Mumbai, India to fund and build a 950 sq. ft. classroom and an extracurricular activity room for the Nareshwadi Learning Centre, in Dundhawadi, Dahanu Taluka, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Click for more info.