Wahine Program      

Hawaiʻi Island

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Are you ready to build something that matters? 

Train. Build. Give Back.​

A 300-hour certified training program for Native Hawaiian women ready to build homes — and build futures — using natural hempcrete construction.​​​​The Native Hawaiian Wahine Leadership & Hemp Construction Cohort is an 300hr paid workforce training program run by the Hemp Hale Initiative for Native Hawaiian women on Hawai'i Island. Participants work directly on active hemp construction builds, gaining hands-on experience with industrial hemp-lime building methods while also developing leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. The program exists because Native Hawaiian women have historically been underrepresented in construction and in emerging green industries, and it's designed to open a real pathway. Not just teaching a trade, but building confidence, a network of mentors and peers, and a foothold in an industry that's still taking shape in Hawai'i. Beyond the individual participants, the cohort is meant to grow local knowledge and capacity around hemp construction more broadly, helping cultivate the next generation of builders, educators, and advocates who can carry the work forward, all while supporting Hemp Hale Initiative's larger mission of building healthy, affordable homes and protecting the 'āina.​​​​​​​​