EPWDA has undertaken a lot of measures to improve the situation of rural women in Eastern Province. Most of the EPWDA members live in villages and each member belongs to a women’s group, which engage in various developmental activities such as pig keeping and raising HIV/AIDS awareness. Such programmes often benefit whole communities. The success of its programmes lies to a large extent on the training of trainers -approach used by EPWDA, which enables the members trained as trainers to teach others – hence knowledge is spread further.

Activities are:

• Reproductive and Sexual Rights of Women and Girls Programme. Members of EPWDA have been trained as community facilitators and sensitization workshops about women’s and girls’ rights have been and continue to be held in the villages.

• Legal Education Programme. Members of EPWDA were trained as paralegals, Legal Support Committees have been formed on district level and a Legal Aid Fund has been created.

• Training for Transformation ( T for T). Based on Paolo Freire’s methodology of self-help for underprivileged people. T for T is considered as a key method to participatory and sustainable development.

• Training in Leadership Skills

• Administrative Management Workshops

• Project Planning and Management Workshops

• Civic Education (training of the aspiring female candidates in the last elections)

• Adult Literacy Programme

• HIV/AIDS Awareness Workshops

• ONE UP Business Management Seminars

• Agro-Forestry Seminars

• Self-help Projects. This programme contributes to poverty alleviation. Women groups are supported to participate in economic and social life to uphold their productive capability.

• Networking. EPWDA is working together with other NGOs and institutions.