Close to $300,000 funding for women’s projects announced at Tri-County Women’s Centre

The Jane Hurshman Memorial Fund will be receiving $116,381 for “Supporting rural senior women’s well being while in transition to supportive and/or assisted care”.

Women for community economic development in South West Nova will be receiving $94,547 for their project, “Money management for women: a gateway to economic independence”.

The Tri-County Women’s Centre will be receiving $83,260 for “Sexual violence against women and girls in South West Nova: reducing the harm/reducing the violence”.

Keddy says he appreciated the work that the three organizations did and also the importance of assisting those women who require it.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have been raised in a house with a strong-willed mother and I live with a strong-willed woman and my grandmother… they’ve all had a very serious effect on my life,” he said.

“It shows us that it’s not as easy, some people have it automatically and they will go out of their way and make their own way in the world and other people need a hand up. It’s a hand up, not a hand out.”

Rene Muise-Bishara, chair for Women for Community Economic Development in Southwest Nova, says some of the money will be used towards offering workshops for women.

“Part of our work is to promote educational and economic empowerment for women and girls,” she said.

The new funding will directly assist 60 rural senior women either in or approaching the transition from independent to supported or assisted care, said Stephanie Hunter, chair of the Jane Hurshman Memorial Fund.

"By discussing with participants their needs, rights and entitlements, this 18-month project will promote psychological well-being as well as support self-determination during the transition process. The project will also involve family and caregivers in the Tri-County and Annapolis regions of Nova

Scotia."

Debbie Roberts, co chair for the Tri-County Women’s Centre, says the goal of their project on reducing sexual violence against females is to ensure that women from the diverse rural and ethnic communities in SW Nova are provided an equitable service when they are dealing with harm associated with sexual violence and, in their efforts, to prevent the harm.

Various focus groups will be hosted by the centre in hopes of getting as many women as possible involved.

The funding was received from the Women's Community Fund of the Women's Program of Status of Women Canada.

The fund supports eligible organizations in carrying out projects at the local, regional and national level. To qualify, the initiatives must work toward the equality and full participation of women in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.