III
Pillars: Equity
The Swarovski Foundation is driven by a strong commitment to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable society. We strongly believe that inequality is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and it threatens the long-term social and economic development of individuals and communities alike.
That’s why we take immense pride in our collaboration with driven organizations that share our mission to lift the quality of education worldwide.
One of our earliest partnerships began in 2014 with Teach for Austria – an organization that envisions a world where every child in Austria has an equal opportunity to live a fulfilling life, irrespective of their parents’ education or income level.
Our initial collaboration with a focus on combating educational inequality and early school dropout has blossomed into a dynamic, multi-layered partnership, creating several initiatives that encourage participants to engage with social and environmental challenges. Teach for Austria Fellows have collaborated with the Waterschool program over the past 3 years to promote water education and empower children with the knowledge and skills needed to improve their local environments.
This partnership is making a significant impact beyond the four walls of their classrooms, as they also contribute to the growth and development of the schools they serve. A staggering 75% of school principals who welcomed Fellows in 2022 reported that they bring new and innovative ideas to their educational institutions.
Together, we’re creating a lasting impact on marginalized communities by enhancing educational opportunities and empowering the next generation of leaders. By fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, we are equipping students with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Our commitment to education is unwavering, and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made thus far.
Building on the success of our partnership with Teach for Austria, we embarked on a similar collaboration with Teach For Thailand in 2015. Our joint efforts are aimed at fostering positive learning environments and ending educational inequality in Thailand, and we are committed to enhancing the overall participant experience, which has led to the development of various opportunities for growth and development.
Recently, Teach For Thailand Fellows began incorporating the Waterschool curriculum into their teaching, thus raising awareness about the importance of water sustainability and in 2022, we collaborated with the Swarovski Group to organize a career guidance workshop with employees.
Our partnerships with Teach For Austria and Teach For Thailand are creating tangible and long-term changes by empowering both students and educators.
To expand our impact on young people, we partnered with SEJA, an organization that works with local social leaders in Brazilian communities experiencing high levels of urban violence.
With our support, SEJA’s ‘Professional Development Program’ equipped 15 leaders in favelas with essential tools to develop and manage sustainable social projects. These initiatives ranged from football sessions, tutoring, and reading workshops, to ballet classes, benefiting over 900 children every month.
We are proud to report that at the end of the program, SEJA documented a 67% increase in leaders’ understanding of crucial topics such as project management, fundraising, financial management, and strategic planning. Additionally, 100% of the leaders secured new partners or donors to further support their projects.
As part of our commitment to young people, we continuously listen and respond to emerging events. Today, children and young people are facing a multitude of unprecedented challenges, including pandemics, conflicts, climate change, and rising inequalities, which are all taking a toll on their mental health. In 2021, we partnered with YoungMinds, a UK organization dedicated to ensuring that no young person feels alone with their mental health and that they receive the support they require, when they require it, no matter what.
Supported by the Swarovski Foundation, YoungMinds was able to develop its ‘360 Schools Network’. This program provided teaching resources and materials to over 21,400 school professionals, including teachers, senior leadership staff, and governors. Additionally, mental health training was provided to over 2,100 professionals and volunteers working in community settings.
We believe that creating a safe environment where young people feel free to talk about their mental health and assisting school professionals in responding effectively can lead to better outcomes for a young person’s development.
“I have taken so much away from this training course which I will be able to implement in my job role including the framework and principles of trauma informed care, supporting young people’s mental health in creative ways, all of the creative resources to enable discussions around mental health, a knowledge and comfort that having difficult conversations can be tough and the importance of self-care and how as an organisation we can better develop the support available to staff.”
Between January and March of 2022, 90% of the adults supported through our partnership reported feeling more confident in their ability to assist young people with their mental health, while 99% of them claimed that the training would impact the way they offer such support.
Under this pillar, we also take pride in supporting organizations that empower girls and women. One such organization is Room to Read, which we first partnered with in 2015 to help create a world without illiteracy and gender inequality.
Since then, over 1,300 girls from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Laos, India, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka have benefited from the Swarovski Foundation’s support of Room to Read’s ‘Girls’ Education Program’, which equips adolescent girls with life skills education, mentoring, material support, and family engagement, enabling them to continue their education and overcome any obstacles.
Case Study:
Roshni – Empowering Girls’ Education and Fighting Against Child Marriage in India
India
Roshni, a young student from Chhattisgarh, India, is a shining example of how empowering life skills education can make a significant difference in the lives of girls, their families, and their communities. Child marriage remains a significant issue in India, with one in every three child brides worldwide being a girl from India. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Roshni witnessed a potential child marriage in her village and took action to prevent it, showcasing her leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Roshni is a beneficiary of the Girls’ Education Program run by Room to Read, a global nonprofit organization that aims to promote literacy and gender equality in education. Room to Read provides a holistic approach to education, including life skills training, mentorship, and community engagement, to equip girls with the skills and confidence they need to navigate challenges and pursue their dreams.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Roshni learned about the impending marriage of a 15-year-old girl in her village. Roshni wondered how anyone could accept the marriage of a child, and if the bride’s parents knew that it was illegal. Roshni’s life skills education equipped her with the tools to help her classmates during difficult times, and she wanted to become a changemaker in her village. Roshni’s father accompanied her to meet the Sarpanch, the village’s elected representative, to stop the marriage. However, her attempts were unsuccessful.
Undeterred, Roshni then called her Room to Read social mobilizer, who encouraged her to contact Childline, a toll-free helpline number, and the police. The police swiftly traveled to the girl’s house and informed the parents of the legal consequences associated with child marriage. As a result, the parents canceled the wedding.
Through Room to Read’s life skills lessons, Roshni developed the confidence, perseverance, relationship-building, and communication skills to give a fellow adolescent girl the opportunity to continue her education and follow her dreams.
Roshni’s intervention not only stopped the child marriage but also created awareness about the legal implications of such actions. Roshni’s actions showcased her leadership and communication skills, her story highlights the transformative power of education and life skills training in empowering girls and promoting gender equality. Her actions demonstrate that even young girls can make a significant impact in their communities when equipped with the right tools and support. Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program is a testament to the value of holistic education in creating future leaders who can shape their communities for the better.
In 2022, we backed the organisation’s ambition to go even further. Research showed that strengthening boys’ awareness of harmful social norms is critical to promoting girls’ education, and through the Swarovski Foundation’s support, 72 boys were able to take part in a pilot program in Cambodia, providing life skills sessions and family and community engagement.
The ‘Girls’ Education Program’ has been pivotal in enabling girls to access education, develop essential life skills and tools, and overcome challenges, and the impressive 97% advancement rate reported by Room to Read for program participants directly demonstrates the program’s effectiveness.
Accelerating our support in this area has been our partnership with Women for Women International, which has been a resounding success. Since the Foundation’s inception, we’ve worked together to support women who have survived the horrors of war, helping them rebuild their lives. In Nigeria alone, we’ve worked with over 1,100 women in this endeavor since we began partnering together, through a social and economic program that addresses the unique challenges faced by women in the country and their urgent need for sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The program has equipped these women with the knowledge and practical skills to start their own businesses, enabling them to break free from poverty and take control of their futures. Participants have gained invaluable insights into their rights, health, and wellness, as well as improving their knowledge of nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation.
The results speak for themselves: between 2020 and 2021 68% of participants saw an increase in their average monthly personal earnings, while 97% have been able to save a portion of their earnings. Meanwhile, 88% demonstrated an improved understanding of nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation, and 89% gained a better understanding of their rights. Finally, at graduation 87% of participants reported being involved in household decision-making, further demonstrating the tangible impact of this program.
Recognizing that health is a huge factor impacting the opportunities available to people, the Swarovski Foundation has also worked with mothers2mothers since 2018, supporting their innovative approach to improving healthcare outcomes through the empowerment of Mentor Mothers. These are women living with HIV who have been trained and employed as Community Health Workers, and who act as role models, providing crucial support and guidance to vulnerable communities.
Our most recent support has enabled us to contribute to a program in Kenya that focuses on nurturing care for vulnerable young children, their mothers, and their families. The program has increased the capacity of Mentor Mothers and healthcare workers to provide inclusive and comprehensive care for children aged 0-3 years, including those with disabilities up to 5 years of age.
Through our support, they trained 30 Mentor Mothers and healthcare workers, reaching over 2,600 pregnant women, mothers, and caregivers of vulnerable children.
Thanks to this program, 100% of children with disabilities served by Mentor Mothers received the health services they needed. The program also empowered Mentor Mothers to act as peer supporters for their female clients, ensuring they access the care they are entitled to, but also as advocates, to represent their needs and speak out against the challenges that disproportionately affect them.
The scope of this issue has truly been and continues to be staggering: wealth and income inequality has reached historic levels, with extreme poverty increasing for the first time in 25 years. Unequal access to food, education, health services, and other essential resources creates little opportunity for people to break the cycle, leading instead to the perpetuation of disadvantage across generations.
Because of this, we decided the best course of action for the Swarovski Foundation is to hone our former Human Empowerment pillar to the Swarovski Foundation Equity pillar.
Under Equity, we’ll be able to strengthen our efforts to empower marginalized groups and continue to align with the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals. We will also direct our efforts towards impactful approaches that promote fair and inclusive access to education, which for us is key to building sustainable livelihoods and reducing inequality.
We’re incredibly proud of the impact we’ve had through our partnerships, and we’re committed to continuing our work to support vulnerable communities and empower as many people as possible to create a brighter future for all.