The inspiring women using SC Training (formerly EdApp) to drive real change
Today, it is estimated that around half a billion women are illiterate.
Millions of girls also face barriers to education, denying them the knowledge and skills needed to find decent work and improve their quality of life. Women are severely disadvantaged by the digital divide.
The Second Chance Programme by UN Women addresses this gap by utilizing inclusive technologies to provide education and employment opportunities for women and girls around the world.
In the spirit of the UN Women’s theme for International Women’s Day, Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender-equal future, over the next few weeks, we’ll introduce you to four remarkable women driving the program, empowering women globally with SC Training (formerly EdApp).
Yesenia Jazmín Chapula Gutiérrez
Program Consultant, Prosociedad
Less than half of Mexican women of working age participate in the labour market due to various reasons, one of which is the excessive unpaid domestic work they undertake. Mexican women perform 75% of all unpaid work at home, including childcare.
Moreover, Mexico has one of the highest levels of violence against women among the OECD countries, with 63% of women over the age of 15 stating that they have experienced some form of violence.
However, there are organizations working hard to change these statistics. Prosociedad, a development agency, is collaborating with local organizations to empower marginalized women to achieve financial independence.
Yesenia, a Program Consultant at Prosociedad, is working with these organizations to implement UN Women's Second Chance Program.
Yesenia is also the creator of the program's educational content. She states that implementing SC Training (formerly EdApp) has led to a greater probability of women successfully completing the program. Being able to access the content via their mobile allows them to catch up on any missed in-person sessions, stay informed and ultimately reduces the risk of dropping out.
Nakoa Pitt
Outreach Officer, Women’s Second Chance Business Hub, Real Futures
A proud Yuggera Bul and Meriem Le woman.
Having known what it is like to be undervalued, a victim of workplace bullying and experience low self-esteem, Nakoa Pitt knows the importance of creating a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to connect.
The woman she was two years ago seems a million miles away when you speak to her today.
Since coming to work at the Women’s Second Chance Business Hub in 2021, Nakoa has received her counselling diploma, is set to feature in an upcoming global documentary and is using her experiences to help women acquire the necessary skills to find meaningful work.
Described as the “creative strength” of the team, Nakoa is the SC Training (formerly EdApp) expert. Her passion for helping women grow and develop is evident in the joy she feels when she sees them come through the hub and go through the same empowering journey she did.
Nakoa joined Oneeva at the 67th Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations Headquarters in New York City and shared her journey from starting as a Women’s Business 2nd Chance Hub Aspirant to becoming a Reach Out Officer.
Oneeva Tu’uhetoka
Program Manager, Women’s Second Chance Business Hub, Real Futures
A proud Worimi Woman, Oneeva has a background in education and is the Program Manager for Women’s Second Chance Business Hub (WSCB) at Real Futures.
Oneeva has dedicated her career to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and women in overcoming barriers to education and employment.
Before her role at Real Futures, Oneeva worked at the University of Sydney for 15 years, managing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support department.
After taking time off to care for her nieces, Oneeva joined Real Futures as an Outreach Officer. Within a year she was promoted to Program Manager of the Women's Second Chance Programme. Oneeva now leads a wonderful team that supports over 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women across Australia.
They're using SC Training (formerly EdApp) to equip women, who have missed out on education, with the necessary tools to establish a practical route to entering the workforce.
On the 9th of March, Oneeva shared her insights on creating inclusive learning experiences at the United Nations' 67th Commission on the Status of Women in New York City. She was joined by Real Futures' Reachout Officer, Nakoa Pitt.
In the next post, we’ll introduce you to Nakoa, the resident SC Training (formerly EdApp) expert at the WSCB Hub to hear more about her unique story and the impact she has seen the program have first-hand.
Meet Sonali Hedditch
Scaling and Innovation Manager — Second Chance Program, UN Women
At 16, after attending an International Women’s Day breakfast and hearing from Dame Carol Kidu on her experience as one of Papa Nui Guinea’s first members of parliament, Sonali knew she wanted to work in women’s rights.
Fast forward 26 years, and she now works for UN Women to support women globally with economic empowerment and life skills.
Partnering with local organisations, Sonali’s role focuses on driving education, safe digital inclusion and empowerment of marginalized women around the world. In searching for appropriate platforms, Sonali and her team at UN Women discovered SC Training (formerly EdApp) via UNITAR.
Real Futures, an organisation partnering with UN Women, has been using SC Training (formerly EdApp) for their program — The Women’s Business: Second Chance (WBSC). The program aims to give Indigenous women and girls access to the education they need to create career pathways or start their own businesses.
Stay tuned for our upcoming posts, where we’ll delve further into the women driving the incredible initiatives at Real Futures.