We are proud to join as the first supplier member of RISE! ShinWon will continue to strive for a better working environment for our workers 🙌🌎
“I learned how to use online banking to make payments and withdraw my salary. I then shared the training topics with my line colleagues in the factory,” Soraida Abigail, a 22-year-old garment worker in Guatemala, explains about her participation in the RISE Digital program. Through a series of tablet-based modules and in-person sessions, RISE Digital helps build worker resilience by raising awareness on health, gender, digital financial services and managing stress and harmonious workplace relationships. Soraida works in one of the factories that took part in RISE Digital: Daontex, Plaza Trading and RISE supplier member ShinWon. RISE brand members Nordstrom, Ralph Lauren and Target collaborated to fund and implement the program. From September 2022 to December 2023, RISE and local partner CARE Guatemala directly trained 468 workers, supervisors and managers so that they in turn could share learnings with 2,486 of their colleagues – other workers and managers. 58% of program participants were women. “It was easy to learn about finance-related topics with a tablet,” Soraida said. By the end of the program, 85% of women were comfortable using a tablet or smartphone (a 30 % increase from the start of the program). 95% of women (up six %-points) reported awareness of modern family planning methods and 48% of women said they were now saving each or most months (up nine %-points). The program also benefitted men workers: After the program, 71% of men (up 11 %-points) agreed that men shouldn’t make most household decisions alone, and 77% of men (up 24 %-points) said they now know how to guide a co-worker affected by workplace violence. “Workers commented that more frequent trainings should be conducted on policies prohibiting workplace harassment and abuse so that all workers were aware of the reporting routes and procedures to follow,” one trainer added. Following feedback from participants, RISE is now incorporating some of their recommendations into the next version of the program. Running the pilot highlighted two key areas where garment workers and factory management need further support: improving their #FinancialHealth and knowing how to prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment. RISE is also planning to adapt and pilot additional programs focused on exactly this in #Guatemala. For more on what participants, including Emilia Martinez, a worker at the ShinWon factory, learned during the Digital program, watch the short video below.
