In many areas, women are often forced to give up their education at a young age, which prevents them from obtaining an education and a higher level of work. This creates several barriers for future economic and social advancement, and without having access to traditional banking systems and welfare programs, women are trapped in a cycle of poverty. My project, Elevate: Equity & Education, focuses on addressing this issue by empowering women with business and entrepreneurship skills and resources especially in rural and low-income areas. Using a two-fold solution with education and finance, my project centers around teaching women the necessary business management and personal finance lessons they will need to build their own wealth in the long term through workshops and classes, as well as building a microfinance bank to give women the access they need to financial institutions. Taking into account that many women cannot spend hours away from home taking these lessons, Elevate takes a unique approach in building community centers, where women will have access to childcare resources while taking their lessons. My project is all about autonomy: giving women the resources they need to succeed, as well as the opportunity to make their own decisions.