About Us

Neighbors helping neighbors rebuild

Here’s our story, in plain terms: who we are and why we do this.

Three members of the STAIRS team, smiling, seated together on a sofa — Part of the STAIRS management team.

Most of the women we work with are doing it all at once, earning a living, paying rent, caring for family, and holding the household together, usually with no one else to split the load. When one thing goes wrong, like a sick child or a missed shift, it can knock everything else over too.

We started STAIRS CBO because we kept seeing the same story with small variations: a woman with a real skill and no capital to use it. No one to watch her kids while she attends a training or works a shift. No lawyer to help her claim what she's legally owed. So we built our programs around those exact gaps, instead of just one of them.

We don't do one-time handouts and walk away. We sit with women through months of savings group meetings, training sessions, and legal appointments, because real change takes longer than a single visit, and it takes people who keep showing up.

On the ground

Every Monday, two hours

Each week, women in our program meet for two hours of skills training. The first hour is on business: running and growing an income. The second hour is on mental health. These photos are from one of those Monday sessions.

A STAIRS team member going through papers with women seated at a weekly skills training session — Working through the session material with each woman.

A trainer leading the Monday skills training session beside the STAIRS banner, with two team members seated at a table — Leading the Monday session, with the STAIRS team at the table.

Women seated together listening during a weekly skills training session — Two hours a week: an hour on business, an hour on mental health.

A speaker laughing with the group beside the STAIRS banner during a training session — Room for questions, and for laughter.

Our Vision

A society where women are economically independent, socially respected, and equipped to build resilient, thriving families.

Our Mission

To provide holistic empowerment programs for women through financial literacy, vocational digital skills training, mental health support, and advocacy for social equity.

How we show up for every woman

Respect & Empathy

We treat every woman with respect. No judgment about her past, her marriage, or how she ended up here.

Resilience

We believe in what a woman can build for herself, given the right support and enough time to get there.

Inclusivity

It doesn't matter your age, your background, or your marital status. If you're a woman who needs support, you're welcome here.

Collaboration

We work alongside local leaders, county government, and other organizations, because no single group can carry this on its own.

Accountability

We keep clear, honest records of every shilling that comes in, and we're upfront about what's working and what still needs fixing.

We keep our books open. Our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan lays out exactly what we’re doing each year and what we’re spending it on, because a donor, a partner, or a woman we serve should never have to just take our word for it.