Salome Raheim

Professor Raheim will discuss the findings of a study on the process of empowerment from the perspectives of women who have chosen self-employment as a route out of poverty and off of welfare. She will look at the narratives of nineteen women who participated in a microenterprise training program. The narratives reveal two kinds of life experiences that eroded their sense of self-efficacy and control over their lives and two kinds of experiences that served as catalysts for positive change. The presentation will explore why the paths to empowerment vary by person and context and why interventions designed to help people gain more control over their lives must address both internal and external factors.

Associate Professor of the School Of Social Work