Lifting Women in Cabo Verde through Education

The Cape Verde Women's Organization (OMCV) is a non-profit promoting opportunities to those in need. They lift and inspire women through education. Through back-to-back training they hone skills, improve self-esteem and teach women the confidence needed to reach their full potential.

An old proverb says, "You educate a man, you educate an individual. You educate a woman, you educate a nation." This basic idea behind the usefulness of educating women and its benefits are empowering women in Cabo Verde.

The director, Isalina Freire, was raised by her grandmother and has since aspired to help others stay off the streets and a life filled with crime. She finds great fulfillment working to assist young people get out of poverty and other difficult long-term situations.

We took a long car ride to one of the OMCV branches in Tarrafal, situated along the northern tip of Santiago Island. It has a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean and beaches. The colorful new building has multiple rooms and open spaces, including a large kitchen classroom.

OMCV offers vocational courses in textiles, culinary and computer skills. They also offer continuing education and courses designed for personal development. Each course is taught by trained professionals and requires 300-400 hours of combined class work with hands-on training. Each course is designed to put young people on a path towards autonomy, a life free of crime, and improving living conditions within their communities.

During our visit, the culinary students were meeting together for instruction. A large kitchen room enough for 21 girls to apply new baking and cooking skills. The kitchen is where nutritious and healthy meals are created using local ingredients.

In the sewing room, many tables displayed colorful garments hand sewn by students and several new sewing machines and supplies. At one of the machines, a woman sat who completed a blouse and who now makes her own clothes. She proudly showed us clothes she created including a school uniform. I was impressed to see buttonholes neatly sewn on front of the shirts.

A computer lab was full of desks with computers. Technology has many uses at OMCV and they are striving to teach meaningful skills including personal development, continuing education, safety, and self-reliance principles and behaviors through YouTube and other educational means found on the internet.

The Church's charity: Caring.ChurchOfJesusChrist.org provided funding to purchase computers, sewing machines, sergers and irons for twenty-one students along with fabric, patterns and supplies.