Capacity-building project (2024)
EmpowerHER was a short-term project delivered by Sappho Women in 2024. It focused on capacity-building and practical skill development for women within the LBTIQ+ community, with particular attention to the local context of Lesvos.
The project was delivered alongside the International Eressos Women’s Festival and funded through a grant from ELC (EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community), co-funded by the European Union.
EmpowerHER was planned, delivered, evaluated, and formally reported within a defined timeframe.
Project scope
The project combined internal capacity-building with participant-focused activity. Its purpose was twofold:
- to strengthen organisational capacity within Sappho Women, and
- to offer structured learning spaces for women taking part in the festival.
The project was time-limited and designed to be realistic in scale, given available resources.
What was delivered
EmpowerHER consisted of the following components:
- Staff training
Online training in event planning, communication, and public speaking, delivered to strengthen internal delivery capacity. - Participant workshops
Four skill-based workshops led by external facilitators:- Empowerment — Marta Breen
- Public Speaking — Prof. Louise Morley
- Financial Literacy — Angeliki Savvidou
- Entrepreneurship — Mina Misyrli
- Networking and alliance-building event
A facilitated gathering bringing together women working across different sectors. - Public awareness activity
A modest awareness effort linked to the festival programme.
Participation and reach
- 74 participants took part across EmpowerHER activities
- Participants came from 13 countries
- 62 participants completed post-event feedback forms
- Activities took place during the 2024 festival period
Feedback was collected anonymously and used for evaluation and reporting.
What worked
Workshops were well attended and received consistently positive feedback. Participants valued the practical focus, the facilitators’ experience, and the opportunity to engage in a setting that felt structured and safe.
Staff training had a direct impact on delivery quality during the 2024 festival period, with skills applied immediately in coordination, communication, and event management.
What didn’t work as planned
One planned staff training session was not delivered due to timing constraints.
The public awareness element of the project remained limited. Budget allocation and the absence of dedicated communications expertise restricted reach. No professional video documentation was produced.
These gaps were identified clearly in the final report.
Governance and reporting
EmpowerHER was delivered within the agreed budget and timeframe.
Financial records, participant summaries, and supporting documentation were submitted to EL*C as part of the final report in January 2025. Reporting requirements were met in full.
What we took forward
The project reinforced the importance of:
- investing in staff capacity as part of programme sustainability
- keeping workshops practical and experience-led
- collecting structured participant feedback
- being realistic about what small teams can deliver without external specialists
EmpowerHER provided a contained framework for testing approaches and strengthening internal systems. Any future iteration would depend on funding, capacity, and local context.
Funding acknowledgement
EmpowerHER was funded by the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C) and co-funded by the European Union.
The contents of this project are the sole responsibility of Sappho Women and do not necessarily reflect the views of EL*C or the European Union.
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