Established in 2018, The Graceful Warrior Project was originally created to empower women in some of the most dangerous areas of the world. However, as it has grown, we have included boys and men as well, knowing that to truly change a society, we must work with the society as a whole. The Graceful Warrior Project seeks to empower people through a holistic approach: Spiritually, physically, financially and intellectually.
Spiritual Self Defense:
Unfortunately, the Bible can be misinterpreted and how Jesus feels about men and women is not portrayed correctly. We have created a curriculum, Finding Myself in the Gospel Story, that endeavors to teach men and women just how loved they are, their unique gifts and what they bring to a society. In societies rife with gender conflict, we endeavor to seek reconciliation instead of division between men and women.
Physical Self Defense:
"It appears that more girls have been killed in the last fifty years precisely because they were girls, than men were killed in all the wars of the 20th century." -Sheryl WuDunn, Nicholas Kristof
Research shows us that women aged 15-44 are more likely to be maimed or die from male violence than from cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined. Learning self defense not only helps set them up for success in the future, it also helps to rewrite traumatic situations that have already happened. Our leaders meet with their groups on a weekly basis and go over basic, and fundamental self defense skills, a combination of Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga, that are easily learned and replicated. Every week they repeat the moves they have learned and once it is retained as muscle memory, they go on to learn a new move which helps rebuild their confidence and makes them feel safer.
Intellectual Self Defense:
"Investment in girls education may well be the highest return on investment available in the developing world." -Laurence Summers, Chief Economist, World Bank
We believe in sponsoring our girls to go to school because through education, comes freedom. In some cases, child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation can be avoided if the girl is enrolled in school. "If we educate and feed these girls, and give them employment opportunities, then the world as a whole will gain a new infusion of human intelligence, and poor countries will garner citizens and leaders who are better equipped to address those countries challenges." – Sheryl WuDunn, Nicholas Kristof
Economic Self Defense: “The economic implications of gender discrimination are most serious. To deny women, is to deprive a country of labor and talent. Women are the third world's greatest under utilized resource." -Sheryl WuDunn, Nicholas Kristof
At certain and carefully decided points, we must move from crisis alleviation to equipping and empowering, and by doing so, making them independent and self motivated. We believe in building safe houses where vulnerable girls and boys can be brought to safety, complete with crops, live stock and water wells that will sustain their girls year round. We also believe in starting passive income businesses for the leaders that will cover the expenses of the girl's school fees, medical and personal needs, and their outreach missions making them fully self sustaining!
"We are so thankful to The Rainbow Sandals Foundation for being a part of our mission from the beginning! They have helped us with our safe house in Eastern Congo and in Tanzania where they have helped us save the lives of so many girls and boys and give them a chance at an incredible future! We love you Rainbow Sandals!"
To learn more, visit: https://thegracefulwarriorproject.com