DREAM BIG

WE TEAMED UP WITH CHILDREN’S CHARITY PLAN INTERNATIONAL TO HELP DREAM UP A BETTER WORLD.

For Christmas 2019, all we wanted was to help girls unlock their dreams. Even today, girls and women in Brazil and Indonesia struggle to find employment and don’t have access to an education. When they do work, they earn far less than men. Together with our friends at Plan International, we’re working to support projects that give young women the tools they need to dream big and succeed.

UNLOCKING GIRLS’ DREAMS

Helping young girls get the tools they needed to succeed in life is the heart of this project. Our bespoke, 18-month programme provides young women with vocational training and skills so that they can start their own businesses or find safe and decent employment. We aim to reach 1,500 people in Brazil and Indonesia through these projects, which kicked off in January 2020. We’ll update this page with progress reports throughout the project, so check back soon.

THE BODY SHOP x PLAN INTERNATIONAL

We love teaming up with charities that have the same values as us. Working with 54,000 communities in 75 countries, Plan International are leading the global movement to campaign for the rights of young women and girls.

Working with them means that policies are being effectively changed at local, national and global levels. Considered world experts when it comes to the rights of young women and girls, Plan International understand their global reach and use this in a way that strives to achieve equality for those in their support network.

THE BRAZIL PROJECT

Unemployment in Brazil is a rising problem. 31.1% of young women are unemployed. Because 60% of those live in extreme poverty and are under the age of 19, it becomes even harder to unlock their dreams. We’ll be helping them get the skills and knowledge they need to no longer struggle to make a living, and benefit fully from the foundation of a secure, well-resourced education.

From Christmas 2019, thanks to your support, we’ll be providing training and skills to 75 young women aged between 18-24 in northern Brazil, to become community outreach workers or social educators who can empower those around them. These 75 young women will reach a further 200 adolescent girls (aged 15-17), using the skills they have learnt to enhance their leadership potential and support them to earn a safe and decent living.

Being able to gain this qualification will enable these young women to work in the expanding Brazilian aid and social work sectors so they can make informed decisions that have a positive impact on young girls and women.

In addition to the 275 girls who will benefit from this project, a further 1,000 young women will feel the value of the project’s outreach activities, including online and community-based campaigns, dialogue circles and peer mentoring.

ALICE’S STORY

Alice grew up in Brazil, and although her family didn’t have much, she was raised in a happy household with her mother, stepfather and two siblings.

Sadly, Alice’s sister passed away from meningitis, and her mother became severely depressed. It was these struggles that encouraged Alice to educate herself more through Plan International’s programmes.

These platforms allowed Alice to learn about her rights, as well as develop her leadership skills and performance in public speaking. Thanks to the knowledge of these rights, Alice knew that even as a young mother herself, she could still attend one of the most respected universities in the region. She hopes to become a teacher in the future and share her knowledge with others.

THE INDONESIA PROJECT

Indonesia is one of the fastest growing Asian economies. However, many rural communities rely on agriculture for work, and many young people join their family in unpaid subsidence work or moving to urban areas to seek other opportunities. High youth unemployment affects women the most, due to poor access to education and the expectation to perform traditional gender roles. As many young women are prevented from working outside the home, it can be difficult for girls to gain the skills they need to become independent and participate meaningfully in their communities.

Over Christmas 2019, we became involved in one of the most deprived provinces in eastern Indonesia, where the lack of work leads to poverty, early marriages and unsafe migration. The work we’ll do with Plan International in this area helps break down stereotypes, creating a supportive and enabling environment that encourages young girls and women to flourish.

This work will include vocational training, support for 330 young people (80% women), as well as providing knowledge to find a job and business coaching.

METTY’S STORY

Metty is a young farmer living and working in one of the poorest provinces in eastern Indonesia, where she grows organic fruit and vegetables.

Joining Plan International’s Green Skills Project has motivated Metty to become an organic entrepreneur, giving her the confidence to embrace organic farming so that she can provide a steady income for her future and improve the lives of those in her community.

THE DREAM DIARIES

We teamed up with three inspiring women to hear about their dreams for the future. They’re joined by Eva, a Youth Activist from Plan International, to discuss how we can help girls and women around us to dream big. To see our full series of Dream Diaries, visit our YouTube page.

Watch the videos