Women's empowerment: the experience of a fishing community in Brazil connected to an international non-governmental organisation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyse a case study of a fishing village located on the northeast coast of Brazil, showing how women are fighting against gender and social inequalities. The local women are organised locally and have the support of a Japanese non-governmental organisation (NGO), Children of Light, in their search for alternative income and ways to empower their lives and their community. Using a qualitative study, based on an anthropological perspective, the fieldwork research included visits to the community and participant observation of the NGOs' activities and women's meetings. Additionally, the open interview was used as a data collection technique. This study shows how the NGO became the women's main partner in their struggle for freedom and better economic opportunities. In cases where important services, representations, and social cohesion are lacking, NGOs play a critical role in governance and value creation for social ends. These events have triggered the community's process of social change; however, the community's empowerment will be consolidated when it becomes economically self-sustainable.