2024-25_ImpactReport_ENG_AccessibleWeb - Flipbook - Page 12
ADVANCING ECONOMIC
SECURITY AND EMPOWERMENT
Every woman and gender-diverse person deserves
opportunities for stable work, fair pay, and financial
independence.
Yet, systemic barriers like sexism, the gender pay
gap, and the motherhood penalty put women at
higher risk of poverty. Those risks multiply for
women who are Indigenous, Black, racialized,
newcomers, or living with a disability.
Thanks to you, diverse women throughout Canada
are getting job training and supports through
community-based programs tailored to their needs.
“I have seen women who
are new to Canada
trying to raise children
on their own, struggling
with language barriers,
housing insecurity, food
insecurity, and jobs
that barely cover basic
expenses. Many feel
invisible due to systemic
barriers. But when they
step into this program,
something begins to shift.”
– Esther Enyolu, Executive Director, WMRCC
Women’s Multicultural Resource
and Counselling Centre
(WMRCC) of Durham
Worker Cooperative Program
Durham, Ontario
ABOVE: Worker Cooperative Program participants
have started cooperatives in sewing, cooking,
translation, hairstyling, caregiving, cleaning.
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Participants pool their talents and business skills
in the Worker Cooperative Program at Women’s
Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre.
The cooperative approach enables women to
overcome barriers to earning income, selling
their services directly, receiving fair payment,
and operating more autonomously.
