Economic empowerment and access to health for young women

When vulnerable women are supported with dignity, skills and systems, lasting change becomes possible. That belief is at the heart of Promoting Economic Empowerment and Access to Health Services by Young Female Sex Workers and Females Who Use Drugs, ORHI’s project in Nasarawa State.

Young women in marginalised communities face connected challenges: economic insecurity, poor mental health, stigma and limited access to rights-based health services. Instead of tackling these one at a time, the project combines economic empowerment, mental health support, advocacy and systems strengthening.

What the project does

• Skills and start-up support: fifty young women trained in a trade they chose, from catering and pastries to make-up artistry, hair styling and cosmetology, and each received start-up support.
• Healing: more than 150 young women took part in art therapy, a safe space for expression and recovery.
• Advocacy: service providers and institutions were engaged to respond in more inclusive, rights-based ways.

Built to last

The project produced the Community Economic Empowerment Manual, so learning, mentorship and empowerment pathways continue beyond a single project cycle. A dedicated Economic Empowerment Department and a multi-stakeholder coalition anchor the work for the long term, with continuing coordination, referrals and accountability.

Partners

The project is funded by the French Embassy in Nigeria under the FEF-OSC 2025 programme. The Cognito Project provided technical guidance on communication, learning and impact measurement, and Beam Community Development 360 Initiative (BCD360) co-delivered activities as implementing partner.

We thank the government institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society partners and facilitators who supported the project, and above all the young women who took part and shared their stories.