OUR VISION:
To bring about economic change for women in Israel through a multi-level approach that includes: assisting small business development; broadening public policy, and the development of need-specific programs for diverse populations. EEW is a feminist organization committed to assisting women from the disadvantaged sectors of society.

OUR MISSION:
To supply low income women in Israel with the knowledge and tools to create their own small businesses as a means for gaining self-sufficiency and alleviating the cycle of poverty in which they live.

OUR HISTORY:
Economic Empowerment for Women (EEW) was established in 1997 by a group of activists in the Haifa area who were involved over two decades in women's organizations, especially “Isha L'Isha”, the Haifa Feminist Center. EEW was awarded the 2008 Speaker of the Knesset Prize for the Quality of Life.

EEW’s chose the strategy of assisting women to open their own small businesses, based on their own talents and abilities. This strategy orginiated in Bangladesh by Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank in the early 1970's. The Micro Enterprise strategy enables women to become self-sufficient through self-employment. This is often not out of a desire to run a business, bur rather out of necessity.

In 2003 EEW cooperated with Koret Israel Economic Development Fund (KIEDF) in establishing the first micro-credit loan fund in Israel, with a credit facility provided by Bank Hapoalim.

Over the last decade, EEW has served over 3,000 women through business training courses, small business loans and advanced business development services. EEW played an active role in the establishment and growth of over 1,350 small businesses among graduates and loan recipients. In 2007, EEW established the first business incubator for low income women and in 2008, it became the first organization in Israel to run an asset development and matched savings program which will serve as model for other programs of its kind.