CiRCE
Innovator
A Womens' Collective
Italy
Social
Rural Areas
Rural village
The innovation journey
In 2022, three women promoted the establishment of the women’s collective named CiRCE in the rural area of Cilento, Campania. They felt the need to overcome women’s isolation and marginalization in a rural area where few services are offered and where patriarchal social norms are still predominant.
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They started to organize monthly meetings for women to discuss common issues, give each other emotional and practical support, organize markets and events. The word spread, the collective quickly grew, thanks also to the creation of a WhatsApp group, involving more than 100 women (entrepreneurs, teachers, freelancers, housewives, employees) living in the Cilento area. CiRCE is a diverse collective: women have very different backgrounds and ages; some were born in Cilento, and some migrated from other parts of Italy or abroad.
CiRCE supports and promotes different women’s projects, from textile handicrafts to confectionery, from exchanging ancient seeds to reading and language groups. They also organize public events to discuss issues such as violence against women and contribute to local struggles for women’s rights.
In 2024, they set up the Circe Association, involving about 40 women.
The innovation impact
CiRCE help women living in the Cilento area to overcome isolation and fight gender inequality. It represents a safe and inclusive environment where women can meet, share knowledge, resources, opportunities and where they feel free to share their issues and ask for emotional and practical support. The WhatsApp group is a fundamental tool favoring daily exchanges, showing the richness of women’s work in the area. The women of Circe recognize themselves as central to the economic growth of the Cilento area supporting projects that are socially, environmentally, culturally and economically sustainable.