Our dream is to see women in marginalized communities experience the joy of wholeness. We want to see them working with dignity, enjoying the benefits of healthy minds and bodies, and living in thriving communities.

How does this happen? We think it’s the result of two powerful forces coming together: jobs and community development.

Marginalized women don't need handouts. They need work. Dignified, sustainable work that will empower them to change their lives and the lives of their family members. The UN and just about everyone else agrees that sustainable business is the key to poverty eradication. Yet in our experience, jobs are just the first step. People living in poverty need change in every aspect of their lives.

That's why JoyCorps is pioneering a model where business and nonprofit leverage each other’s strengths toward a goal of holistic change. We partner with entrepreneurs who operate businesses in the world’s most broken places, providing good jobs and wages. We come alongside them, supporting them with the tools they need to succeed and helping them take really good care of their people with community development projects designed for holistic change. These projects include everything from nutrition and education to job training, counseling, and mentoring. This way, both the business and the community succeed.

By working together, JoyCorps and our partner businesses can help to break the cycle of poverty, so that broken places transform into thriving communities marked by the joy of wholeness.
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Dina's Story



Dina has had a hard life. Her parents separated, leaving her to take care of the house and family. She had no choice but to get married. Only a year into her marriage, Dina’s husband suffered a stroke, and once again all responsibilities fell into her lap. With a four-month-old daughter, an ill husband, significant medical costs, and only part-time work, Dina was under tremendous stress. Her husband eventually found work, but Dina lived in constant fear that if he were to lose his job, they would lose their house and everything they owned.

Dina began to work part-time as a stitcher for one of our partner businesses. She came to love the caring and joyful community and soon asked to work there full-time. Because of this, when her husband did lose his job, the family did not have to move. Dina was able to apply for housing support through JoyCorps, which will help the family afford their rent until her husband finds work and they can get back on their feet.

Dina’s husband sees the joy his wife has found in her work community. In fact, she loves being at work so much that she dreads weekends and holidays! If you met Dina today, you could comment that she is always smiling. Her daughter, Johanna, is thriving in the JoyCorps childcare program, and Dina sees her daughter’s future becoming bright. Dina herself had limited education in Bengali, but now she is fluent in Hindi and learning English through JoyCorps’ English classes. She loves learning new skills and especially loves celebrating all the festivals and holidays that her coworkers have introduced her to. Liberated from constant worry over her family’s immediate survival, Dina is now free to express her beautiful heart of compassion toward others. She is insistent that if anyone in the community has a need—she would like to help. 
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Shivani's Story



The four walls of Shivani’s home were her prison. She was completely dependent on her husband, an abusive alcoholic, for everything. She had no respect from her husband and no help from her in-laws because she had given birth to two girls. She lived in constant fear of the outside world and in constant worry about her daughters and their future.

Shivani’s world changed when she began to work for one of our partner businesses as a stitcher. Even though she had few qualifications and little education, she felt respected and honored by the community. Her job makes her feel safe, gives her self confidence, and encourages her to dream about advancing in the company. She no longer has to depend on her husband—in fact, she manages her household completely by herself and never has to worry about money. JoyCorps provides medical care for Shivani and her daughters and sends both girls to good schools. Her oldest daughter dreams of becoming a business accountant.

Shivani loves her job—she loves its five values of Integrity, Excellence, Humility, Justice and Community, and she is teaching them to her daughters. She loves that the community has become her family, and that she has a place to go if she needs anything. Shivani believes that her new situation is an answer to her prayers and a blessing from God. “This company came in my life like an angel,” she wrote. “Because of this company I am standing on my feet today. Both of my daughters are getting an education and I can fulfill their dreams.”