Make a Bigger Impact in the world?
So Do I!
This movement is my passion project and completely owns my heart.
A few years ago, I read the book Half the Sky, about the marginalization of women globally, particularly in developing nations. It stirred me to the core.
A few of my business friends and I felt compelled to do something about it. That is how WOMEN UNITED FOR CHANGE was born.
Our first order of business was to find an organization with integrity that already had the infrastructure and a platform in place to lift women up.
We hit the jackpot when we found
PCI and their Women Empowered (WE) program!
Five years later, there are thousands of women and men ‘paying it forward’ through this movement. Many of us are entrepreneurs whose lives have been blessed by our own home based businesses.
Together we’ve helped transform the lives of over 10,000 women across the globe and right HERE in our own backyard.
GUATEMALA VISION TRIP 2016
A few years ago, we visited Guatemala to see the results of our donations firsthand.
We were so impressed with PCI’s efficiency, the trust they’ve built in the community, and the network of staff, community leaders and volunteers supporting their programs.
PCI builds integrated and holistic programs that address the root causes of poverty and inequality, and empower women as powerful agents of change.
AFRICA VISION TRIP 2020
We are more convinced than ever that Project Concern International (PCI) has cracked the code. Through them, our donations are changing the world in the most foundational and sustainable way possible.
They are truly “teaching a woman to fish, rather than giving her a fish for a day.”
The full story was captured in Tiffaney Malott’s Direct Sales Diva Magazine.
Click on the image to read the full story.
I carry an image in my heart from our trip to Tanzania. I see these women standing tall and saying with the help of a translator, “Before PCI’s Women Empowered program, I had nothing in my life. Now I am a business woman. Now I’m an entrepreneur.”
A $50 donation changes a woman’s life. For less than what I spend on coffee in a month, I can empower a woman with 18 months of financial literacy and business training and connect her to a strong and global support system – a sisterhood for life.
These women are stepping into their power, creating their own businesses, and becoming an economic force in their communities. The ripple effect is profound. One by one, they are making their voices heard within their families and stepping into leadership roles in their communities.
They are breaking through huge cultural barriers to do with they are doing. Together, they are changing social norms and unlocking a bright future for their children and for generations to come.
Monica’s Bakery
Meet Monica. She is a member of PCI’s Women Empowered or WE program and has an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. She took a $15 loan from her WE group and sold sugarcane to make enough money to start a donut business.
Within the first few months of her new venture, she had repaid the loan and made a $50 profit. She used those profits to buy school supplies for her five children and install electricity in her home so the children can study in the evening. ”read_more” She also started building onto her home and, using the profits from her growing business, is constructing three storefront stalls. She will use one stall for her bakery and plans to rent the other two to local businesses for additional income. ”less...”
Scholastica – Vegetable Stand, Marketing Mogul
Meet Scolastica, a member of the Tupendane We Group. She has one of the most successful dried fish and vegetable stands in the village. She is a fiery entrepreneur who is determined to, in her own words “stay ahead of her competition.“
She started with a small loan from her WE group to purchase products. Originally, she sold those goods from a mat on the ground, like the other market vendors. Having learned in her WE group that she needed to stand out from other sellers, she took a second loan build a raised stand and purchase more and better products to sell. With her next loan she built the roof. ”read_more” In addition to running her successful business, Scolastica is the mother of seven children. ”less...”
Cow Fattening Project
Meet the Maasai women of Mungere village. It’s common for participants in WE groups to come together and collaborate on projects.
One of our favorites is the cow fattening project. These women pooled their WE savings to purchase skinny cows for the equivalent of US$700. ”read_more” What makes these transactions most impressive is that Maasai women are not allowed to own livestock. Livestock is currency here, and only males are allowed to own them. Currently these women are in the process of buying three acres of land to grow corn. They have a crystal-clear vision for their future and for future generations of Maasai women. They are committed to doing whatever it takes to create lasting change. ”less...”
Suzana – Tailor Made
Suzana Bernard is a wife and mother of three children from Mwibagi village. In June 2018, she joined a PCI Women Empowered (WE) group called Upendo, or Love. Suzana had taken informal tailoring training from another community member and was passionate about it, but she could not start working as a tailor because she lacked equipment and materials.
After PCI’s WE training, she was able to take a loan equivalent of US$175 from her group. She purchased a sewing machine, rented a small room at the market, bought a few necessities and was ready to start her business! ”read_more” Her plan is to gradually expand the shop to cater to more customers and ensure a bigger, steady income. ”less...”
FOUNDED
YEARS
COUNTRIES
Over 20 million people impacted in 2019
86% of every dollar goes directly to programs
✔ Ending hunger and poverty worldwide.
✔ Advancing women and girls.
✔ Overcoming hardship.
✔ Enhancing health.
PCI’s Women Empowered Program
✔ 18-month program.
✔ Teaches social and economic empowerment.
✔ More than 120,000 WE group across the globe.
✔ Over 1.4 million participants.
✔ In Africa and the Americas alone, WE groups have saved almost $6.5 million and loaned over $6.1.
✔ Participants reinvest in their families and businesses.
✔ Proven to reduce poverty.
✔ Increases participant’s ability to feed their families.
✔ Increases women’s participation in household decisions.
✔ Self-sustaining for the long term.