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Who we are
GWEOSD is a Sudanese voluntary, non-profit and non-political organization working for inclusive sustainable development, human and community empowerment, and practical solutions that contribute to recovery, stability and growth.
Our work is not limited to the economic field or entrepreneurship. It extends across areas that affect people’s lives and their ability to recover, grow and live with stability, including health, education, water and sanitation, the environment, social protection, peacebuilding, recovery and reconstruction, alongside economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, capacity building and innovation.
We believe that women are essential partners in development, decision-making, production and innovation, and that empowering women strengthens families and communities. At the same time, development is a shared responsibility involving all members of society and its institutions.
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Our name reflects our identity — our mission embraces everyone
The organization’s name reflects its focus on women’s leadership, businesswomen and women entrepreneurs and their role in shaping development. It does not restrict the scope of our work and does not mean that our programs are intended for women alone.
GWEOSD works with women and men, girls and boys, youth and older people, families and communities, as well as government, private and academic institutions, civil society organizations, and national and international partners.
Our name is a gateway to our identity, not a boundary on our work. It highlights women’s leadership in development, while our mission extends to people and communities in all their diversity.
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Our vision
Resilient Sudanese communities capable of recovery and growth, where all members of society participate in shaping development and where women and women entrepreneurs lead pathways of empowerment, production and innovation in an environment of peace, cohesion and sustainability.
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Our mission
To empower people and communities to build a more stable, productive and sustainable future through integrated programs and projects in economic, social, humanitarian and environmental development; capacity building; entrepreneurship; health; education; water and sanitation; environmental protection; social protection; peacebuilding; recovery and reconstruction; while developing effective partnerships at local, national, regional and international levels.
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Our development philosophy
Our development philosophy is based on turning crises and challenges into opportunities for recovery, production and development.
We do not stop at responding to needs. We seek to build self-reliance, develop livelihoods, transfer knowledge and skills, and connect individuals and communities with opportunities, markets, services, resources and partnerships.
We work to move from need to empowerment, from assistance to production, from loss of assets to restoring or building alternative productive assets, from unemployment to opportunity, from isolation to partnership, from the effects of crises to recovery, and from recovery to sustainable development.
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Our scope of work
- Economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Health, prevention, awareness and community well-being.
- Education, training, qualification and capacity building.
- Water, sanitation, hygiene and access to safe water.
- Environmental protection, green development, climate action and sustainable resource management.
- Food security, agriculture, livestock, poultry, fisheries and food processing.
- Protection of women and children, violence prevention, referral pathways and protection.
- Peacebuilding, cohesion and social peace.
- Recovery, reconstruction and livelihoods.
- Innovation, research and development of practical scalable solutions.
- Crafts, local products and value chains.
- Community initiatives and multi-sector partnerships.
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Who do we work with?
We work with society in all its diversity and do not limit our programs to one group.
Our target groups include women and men; girls and boys; youth; children and families; older people; displaced and crisis-affected people; widows and bereaved families; people with disabilities; graduates and job seekers; entrepreneurs, artisans and skilled workers; innovators and initiative leaders; and people who need protection, rehabilitation or reintegration.
Our scope may also include prisoners and people released from prison, according to the nature of programs and partnerships, applicable laws and competent authorities.
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Prisoners, released persons and reintegration
We view rehabilitation and reintegration as part of building a safer, more stable society with greater capacity for recovery.
Possible areas of work include training, education and vocational qualification; entrepreneurship and productive projects; livelihoods; psychosocial support through qualified specialists; awareness of rights and responsibilities; and support for family, community and economic reintegration, while respecting the law, competent authorities and human dignity.
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How we work
Our approach connects people with knowledge, production, services, markets and sustainability. Training is not an isolated end; it becomes applicable knowledge, then production or service, then value or opportunity, and ultimately sustainable impact.
Our methodology includes needs assessment, community participation, designing practical solutions, using partners’ capabilities, transferring knowledge and expertise, mobilizing resources, building networks, monitoring and measuring impact, and developing and scaling successful projects.
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Partnerships
We believe that complex development challenges require partnerships and complementary roles. We therefore build cooperation with government entities, the private sector and companies, universities and research centers, national and international organizations and donors, financial institutions, women and men entrepreneurs and experts, community initiatives and the media.
Partnerships aim to combine resources, expertise, knowledge and opportunities and turn them into practical programs and projects with measurable and sustainable impact.
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Women in our vision
We see women as rights-holders, decision-makers, producers, entrepreneurs, innovators, community leaders and partners in peace and development.
Women’s empowerment is an important pathway to inclusive development, not a substitute for the participation of men, youth, families, institutions and society as a whole in shaping development.
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Our values
Integrity, transparency, accountability, human dignity, participation, non-discrimination, justice, innovation, independence, responsibility, teamwork, quality and sustainability.
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Our connection to sustainable development
Depending on the nature of each project and program, GWEOSD contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, including ending poverty and hunger, good health, quality education, women’s empowerment and equality, decent work and economic growth, reducing inequalities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, peace, justice and institutions, and partnerships for development.
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Our future vision
We seek to build a scalable Sudanese development model led by people and communities, combining economic empowerment with social services, protection, health, education, water, the environment, peace and innovation.
We also seek to be a bridge connecting Sudanese capabilities with local, regional and international opportunities, turning resources, skills and ideas into sustainable economic, social, humanitarian and environmental solutions.
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Our commitment
We are committed to responsible, professional and transparent work; respect for human dignity and rights; stronger community participation; and partnerships based on clarity and complementary roles.
We measure success by the capacities, knowledge, opportunities, assets, networks, institutions and sustainable impact that remain — not simply by the number of activities delivered.
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Our unifying message
Our name expresses women’s leadership in development, while our mission embraces people and communities in all their diversity.
We invest in women, build human capacity, empower communities, and advance sustainable development.
