All Women’s Network
Details about All Women’s Network and the ‘Braids of Empowerment’ project
The All Women’s Network is an organisation that provides training opportunities for employment and offers support to women and girls facing social and economic barriers, including abuse, isolation and financial challenges. They empower women and girls to overcome obstacles, enhance their well-being, build skills, start businesses and secure employment.
The Braids of Empowerment project is aimed at girls between 10 and 18 and will provide practical, hands-on hair braiding workshops. The programme will teach a valuable, income-generating skill whilst fostering creativity, cultural pride and self-confidence. Sessions will be led by professional hair stylists and braiders, covering traditional and contemporary braiding styles, hair care, hygiene and small business basics and will provide a safe and supportive space for girls to socialise and build peer connections while learning.
Delivery of the Project
A FREE 6-week hair braiding programme commenced on Saturday 3rd January 2026 for girls aged 10-18 within the Barking & Dagenham community, with a celebratory event that took place on Saturday 7th February, which we had the pleasure of attending.
The sessions have been inspiring, exciting and so valuable. The participants each work with their own hair mannequin and accessories and are learning many new skills, including hair hygiene, braiding, creating a bun style, cornrows and skills to start and develop their very own business. The facilitator Hannah is both an inspiration and a fantastic role model, teaching the girls both practical and mental heath and well-being skills to carry them into adulthood. This is such a rewarded project and we are delighted to be able to support the initiative.
Across the project, the girls developed not only with their hair braiding skills, but you could see their confidence growing, their sense of belonging and self-worth increasing and the hopes for the future getting stronger after every session.
Impact & Outcomes of the Project
17 girls registered and 12 girls aged 10-18 completed the full programme. Teachers & Youth Workers observed increased confidence & engagement in the girls who participated.
Objective: equip girls with practical hair-braiding skills. Outcome: fully met. Girls learned a range of foundational & intermediate braiding techniques. All participants demonstrated improved technique, neatness & confidence in practical skills
Objective: build confidence, self-esteem & cultural price. Outcome: successfully achieved. Through hands-on learning, positive reinforcement & a supportive environment, girls felt more confident in themselves, proud of their cultural identity. The graduation showcases further boosted their self-esteem, giving them a platform to celebrate their progress with family/peers.
Objective: provide equal access to resources & remove financial barriers. Outcome: fully met. Funding covered all materials, tools, starter kits & trainer costs, ensuring every girl regardless of background had equal access to high-quality learning. No family was required to pay for participation, all girls received the same level of support
Objective: create a safe, supportive & empowering learning environment. Outcome: fully achieved. Attendance remained high throughout the 6-week programme, feedback from parents & participants highlighted that the sessions felt safe, welcoming & enjoyable. Girls formed friendships, supported one another & developed teamwork & communication skills.
Overall Impact – Increased skills, confidence, improved productivity, cultural pride, positive well-being & early entrepreneurial awareness across the group & their wider networks.
Hair braiding project
