Women's Centers International
Home of the Women's Centers Movement
WCI's mission is to support the creation of safe gathering places for women in resource-poor environments.
Women’s Centers provide vocational and life skills training while fostering women's agency over their lives, promoting mental health and recovery from violence, and enhancing their capacity to build prosperity for themselves, their families, and communities.
The Women's Centers Network
WCI is the 'mother hen' of the Network, assisting local organization to adapt the Women's Center Model to local culture and needs. Key programs include literacy and vocational training for improved livelihoods. All Centers develop trauma-informed psychological support initiatives. Their reach and transformative impact has grown exponentially in the past year.
KENYA – Baraka Women's Center, Nairobi
Eleven years in operation with 3,275 registered members, as well as a growing business enterprise, Baraka Mtido Fashion Accessories (BMFA) supported by a jewelry and dressmaking training center in Thika.
KENYA - Baraka 2, BWC's sister Center in Rumuruti, Laikipia County for Maasai, Samburu, and Turkana women, registered more than 800 members after opening in mid-2023 for training in Tailoring, Beadwork, Hairdressing and Beauty skills, and Computer Literacy.
KENYA - Women's Power Center in Northern Kenya (WPC) in Kakuma Refugee camp. Providing adult literacy classes and bakery skills training for refugee women; 206 women are registered as of June 2024. Additional livelihoods programs are planned.
UGANDA - Dreams Destined Women Center, Mukono, serving young mothers. Continuing with the sewing and sweater-making training program for young mothers.
ZIMBABWE - HOPE Zimbabwe, Located in Sakubva, a slum in Mutare, serving 135 women and children. They are implementing a community health worker training program and more recently a community garden project to improve women’s access to nutritional food and increase their earning potential through crop cultivation.
NIGERIA - The Support Nest Initiative (TSNI) with a focus on community mental health. WCI to provide technical support
Due to a number of logistical dilemmas, we have temporarily suspended our support to Centers in DR Congo and Syria.
So Many Ways to Contribute!
WCI now welcomes donations of stock.
Recent News
WCI receives success stories every month from the Centers. This one about Michelina Arii is painfully frank about the experience of being a saleable young teen in a traditional culture, and the lifeline she found at Baraka Women's Center 2.
Facilitating Mental Health for Economic Development
An Innovative Training Model from WCI in collaboration with Baraka Women's Center.
WCI has prepared a curriculum for a Mental Health Training Program. We are seeking dedicated funding to implement a pilot throughout the WC Network.