Ruth Takapera’s initiative arose from her observations of women struggling to earn an income in her community. The project offers business education courses that enable women to make better informed financial decisions. Ruth hopes to address financial illiteracy among women. “My initiative allows for the inclusion of women in economic development, acknowledging the impact they make towards economic growth .Ruth envisions a future in which empowered women who are financially literate and are involved in decision making for the growth of the economy.

Among the biggest challenges Ruth faces are the demands for women’s time. “The biggest challenge is bringing women together with them leaving their work to be fully engaged in the program. Women are caregivers and have a lot of work to do.” The initiative is under implementation and has seen some success by communicating about plans and expectations in advance, giving women enough information to plan and prioritize the learning. “I am motivated by the mere fact of wanting to make a difference in others lives and in my country. As a person living with a disability, I know how it feels to be marginalized and this motivates me to want to lift others up.”