How You Can Help Other Women – International Women’s Day is March 8, 2012
A win-win opportunity to support Kiva supporting women
Observed since the early 1900s, International Women’s Day (IWD) is now celebrated globally. The theme for this 101st International Women’s Day is “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures,” which is so apropos for anyone who is reading this page on The Friendship Blog. This blog is certainly a place where women connect, and help each other improve their lives and connections: One post and one comment at a time, women help support each other to reach their full potential.
There are so many different meaningful ways you can participate in Internationa Women’s Day—in terms of events and actions. I’ve found one way to participate that I think is especially worthy. In honor of International Women’s
Day, microfinance organization Kiva has launched Kiva.org/women to spotlight the power of women to create sustainable change. As part of the kick-off for Kiva Women, partner Dermalogica (a skincare company) is funding a $100,000 free trial program that will enable new users of Kiva Women to direct a $25 loan to the female borrower of their choice – without fronting a penny.
Kiva is the world’s first and largest microlending website where anyone, anywhere can help alleviate global poverty and empower women through loans as small as $25. Since Kiva’s launch in 2005, more than 80% of the loans funded through Kiva have been to women borrowers in 60 countries and the United States. Kiva has connected
more than 600,000 women borrowers to nearly 650,000 lenders, crowdfunding more than $200 million in loans to women. Loans through Kiva have a 98.9% payback rate and have proven to be a significant resource for women worldwide.
“By contributing to the success of an entrepreneurial woman who has overcome obstacles most of us cannot even truly imagine, we discover so much more about our own resiliency, possibility, and potential,” said Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica.
In honor of International Women’s Day, I hope you will look through the Kiva site as I did and find a woman who seems worthy of your free loan. It’s easy! Throughout the year, I hope we will all continue to be sensitive to how women can help other women here and in our everyday lives.
My best, Irene
Category: OTHER ADVICE
Thanks for sharing this information, Irene.