Feel Good Friday - Sugar Empowerment Society

We've spent the last two weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area learning about organizations that help kids get on stage and get outdoors. Well, the pendulum is on the move and we spend this Feel Good Friday with a young woman working to prevent honor killings and child marriages in Pakistan. Hey, when it swings, it swings.

Khalida Broni founded the Sughar Empowerment Society in her native Pakistan to give women wings. Sughar translates into "skilled and confident women" and reflects the mission of the organization.

As explained on their website, "Sughar is a non profit social enterprise organization based in Pakistan. Operating in the most tribal and rural areas of Pakistan, Sughar provides socio-economic opportunities and empowerment to women by giving them trainings, resources and opportunities to grow as as leaders within their communities."

The goal of the empowerment programs is simple. "At Sughar Women Program we aim to create a society where women are not killed for honor, but are honored and given equal status." Offerings include a program to help women mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change as well as a one to help them buy land and learn how to generate income from that land. The most popular program is 6 months long and trains women on basic education, life skills, traditional embroidery and enterprise development.

Recent initiatives include creating a hub that houses the 6 month training program with other local non-profits, a fund to raise money to help the programs continue AND a fashion line called Nomads which sells the clothing that the women make. Your purchases will directly support the Sughar Empowerment Society which, to date, has worked with over 900 women!

Want to learn more? You can listen to Khalida Broni's recent 14 minute TED Talk, like Sughar's Facebook page for photos and updates and follow them on Twitter @SugharWomen.