Kandaakiat for Women Empowerment & Development (KOWED) is a women-led refugee non-profit organization advocating for a society where all women are collectively and individually self-reliant and free from injustice. To achieve its vision, KOWED invests heavily in empowering women to become self-reliant by equipping them with market-oriented employable skills. Our training programmes focus on climate smart farming e.g. hydroponics, urban farming/home gardening; business skills and financial literacy; waste management; advanced leather production; tailoring; briquette making and liquid soap making. Through these programmes, we aspire to make refugee women self-reliant and to attain economic independence. The mission of KOWED is to promote the growth of a strong women’s movement that advocates for women's human rights and enhances their socio-cultural, economic and political and health status. The establishment and existence of Kandaakiat is inspired by episodes of violent armed conflict and other catastrophes in Sudan and South Sudan that have had dramatic effects on the lives of women and girls who have been forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries where they still continue to face a wide range of challenges similar to those in their home countries. KOWED is committed and determined to; 1) make refugee women self-reliant by use of available resources to improve their status and living conditions, 2) promote gender equality and equity, 3) advocate for refugee women in good health, sexual and reproductive rights, 4) train refugee women on life stills in livelihood (agriculture, tailoring, knitting, shoe making, crafts work, etc.), and 5) promote and protect women’s rights in governance, peace, and security by training them.