Prayer Calendar

Create a Better Future 

By Paulina Wulansari, Southeast Asia regional coordinator

When you educate a woman, the next generation benefits. A well-educated woman is empowered to be a better mom, make decisions, raise her family’s standard of living, create jobs and change society. Every woman has the right to an education. Unfortunately, millions of women in Asia do not have this opportunity because of poverty, social stigma, discrimination or lack of resources.

In South Asia, girls are at risk of being harassed, assaulted, abducted or even murdered while traveling to school, and they are not safe inside the school. As a result, many females drop out of school when they approach puberty. Girls who live a long way from school are especially vulnerable; the longer they have to travel to school, and the more remote the region, the greater the risk.

In Southeast Asia, many women have no skills, do not read or write, and live below the poverty line. They must work to support their families but do not have many occupational choices – mainly working as food sellers, farm laborers and local maids with very low salaries. These women do not know how to care for their families or know the importance of nutrition, hygiene and education for their children.

Through the Women of Hope program, however, women surrounded by walls of hopelessness, fear and poverty can learn of ways to overcome these barriers in the person of Jesus Christ. Radio allows millions of women to listen to God’s Word in their heart languages. Our teams help women through vocational training programs that equip women with sewing, handicrafts and agriculture skills, enabling them to generate income and improve their living conditions. Literacy classes, health-care awareness workshops and counseling services also empower women to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.

Meanwhile, in Northeast Asia, women have many educational opportunities. Even in Mongolia, women's education levels are much higher than men's, yet there are still problems. As a woman's level of education increases, her perception of gender conflict with men in society becomes stronger, with single women experiencing the greatest conflict. So TWR Women of Hope in Northeast Asia wants to help each person live harmoniously according to the will of God, who created men and women in his image. We want to encourage women to embrace God’s design of marriage and family.

Please pray that with the help of Women of Hope, women in Asia can overcome challenges and create a better future for themselves, their families and communities. May their faith in Jesus Christ grow stronger each day.