Across Luanda, thousands of women have never had the opportunity to attend school. Many cannot read a medicine label, sign their name, or help their children with homework.

This project was started by Samara Dias, an Angolan‑born community organiser who founded Ella Africa during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Samara saw how quickly life unravelled for women without stable incomes or education during the pandemic. Domestic violence surged, hunger deepened, and too many women were trapped in a cycle of dependency.

Why this matters

In Luanda, one of the most expensive cities in the world, women shoulder the heaviest burdens of poverty. Many are single mothers or survivors of domestic violence, often unable to read or write, and excluded from formal work.

Ella Africa’s training model is proven to change lives, but attendance depends on access. Providing stipends allows women to commit fully to their classes without sacrificing the little they have to survive each day.

What the project will change

For 22 women, this support will open the door to education. Instead of choosing between feeding their children and attending training, they can now do both. Over three months, they will gain skills in trades like tailoring, hairdressing, baking, horticulture, and event planning — along with literacy and financial education. Each woman will leave with the tools to start earning an income or continue further learning.

The impact goes far beyond the classroom. When a woman learns to read, she is better equipped to help her child with homework and participate more freely in her community. By funding these stipends, Kwanda will help women write new futures, proving that empowerment often begins with the simplest act — the ability to learn.