Did you know that globally, one in five women lives with a disability? Noura A'kawi is a 32-year-old Palestinian ceramic artist and Ambassador for CLWR’s GRIT (Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training) project. Before she began training at LWF’s Vocational Training Center, Noura struggled to find work because most workspaces were not accessible to her.

In places like Jerusalem where unemployment rates are already high for women, those with disabilities face a far greater challenge. The GRIT project is addressing these challenges by improving the accessibility of training centers and workplaces and by providing specialized tools and equipment to support women, like Noura, to participate equally in their training.

“After graduating from university, I faced challenges with finding work as many buildings are not accessible to me. Thankfully, I have a very supportive family and they supported my decision to enroll in Lutheran World Federation (LWF). I chose to study ceramics and handcrafts and I’ve benefited from their incubator program which provides me with access to necessary tools and product. I often attend exhibitions and sell my products,” Noura says.

The GRIT project is funded by the Government of Canada and is implemented by Lutheran World Federation Jerusalem, in partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief. Additional funding is provided by the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation.