Education is always an important component to empowerment, but there is a catch-22 of education initiatives for tribal women when there aren’t enough jobs on the reservation or in nearby communities.
“Many women don’t want to go off the reservation because they find that their community is their support system,” Carlette Randall, senior Native American specialist for JBS International, told Devex in a video interview.
Even if a woman does decide to pursue work or education elsewhere in the state, there are other economic factors currently playing a role in South Dakota that might make life more difficult for someone trying to start her career.
Click on the video below for more of Randall's insights on how innovation — including unique entrepreneurship opportunities — is key to empowering women in tribal communities.
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She Builds is a month-long conversation hosted by Devex in partnership with Chemonics, Creative Associates, JBS International, the Millennium Challenge Corp., United Nations Office for Project Services and U.K. Department for International Development.
About the author
Kelli Rogers@kellierin
Kelli Rogers has worked as an Associate Editor and Southeast Asia Correspondent for Devex, with a particular focus on gender. Prior to that, she reported on social and environmental issues from Nairobi, Kenya. Kelli holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, and has reported from more than 20 countries.