Women for Women International



Women for Women International is changing the world one woman at a time. Women for Women International (www.womenforwomen.org) provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Sponsorship costs $27 per month plus a one-time administrative fee of $30—less than you’d pay for a weekly lunch out or a daily cup of coffee. What the group does: Help women go from victim to survivor to active citizen Provide financial aid, job training, rights awareness and leadership education What if you could change the course of one woman's life in a war-torn region of the world? Now what if you knew her name? Women for Women International's Sponsorship program creates a unique experience by building a one-to-one relationship between you and a woman who lives thousands of miles away. By sponsoring a woman you not only provide her with the financial assistance she needs to get back on her feet but also the hope and emotional support that are the keys to rebuilding her life after war. What is Sponsorship? As a sponsor, you will be matched with a woman in a country in which we work. Your monthly contribution will provide her with rights awareness education and job skills training so she can continue to support her family in the future. She will also receive a portion of your contribution in direct aid so she can provide her family with basic necessities. You will know your sister’s name and circumstances, and you can exchange letters with her. What Your Support Means Each country’s program varies due to economic, political, cultural and religious factors. However, in all countries where we work, your monthly support ensures that your sister receives the following tools and support over the course of her one-year participation: Direct aid on a monthly basis in cash. Emotional support and encouragement from her trainers, fellow participants and from you, her sponsor. Training on leadership, rights awareness and the role of women in society. Job skills training applicable to the local economy. A network of women to connect with in her community. Small business assistance and in some countries, access to microcredit loans. Access to a variety of other programs, depending on the country or region where your sister lives. These include, for example, literacy training in Kosovo, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention training in Nigeria, savings and investment counseling in Rwanda and infant care classes in Afghanistan. A personal story Melissa Cook made two trips to Rwanda in 2009—and came home a changed person. Melissa met the four sisters she is sponsoring for their one-year program with WWI. She sat down with the women, heard about their backgrounds and their challenges in getting out of the cycle of poverty, looked into their eyes and saw the hope and optimism they bring to the WWI program. These trips—and the connection with her local sisters—have strengthened Melissa’s commitment to philanthropy and have brought a new perspective to her attitude toward the daily trials and tribulations of life in the big city! During a visit organized by Metta Journeys (www.mettajourneys.com) Melissa sat in on training sessions on economics, family law, health and vocational training, and visited an agricultural cooperative run by a group of women who have completed WWI’s training program. She saw first-hand the dedication of the trainers, their commitment to improving the lives of the women in their groups, and the excitement of the women who are being given a fresh start in life. She attended the graduation ceremony for a group of 20 women who have completed WWI’s one-year program and are emerging with confidence, enthusiasm and a new set of marketable skills. With the improved income and life circumstances these women will enjoy because of WWI, they can lead better lives and will be more likely to keep their children in school. Melissa also traveled around Rwanda and saw the grinding poverty that is the reality of daily life: children and women getting water out of standpipes and streams and carrying it on foot over great distances back to their homes, and subsistence farming using every square inch of arable land—even up to the top of many of Rwanda’s famous “thousand hills”—to feed the rapidly growing population. But the most striking thing she noticed amidst the unrelenting hard work was the smiles on women’s faces, their obvious hope for the future, and the fabulous work ethic and focus on cleanliness and order that is clear in all corners of the country. Women for Women International 4455 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20008 T 202-737-7705 - F 202-737-7709 general@womenforwomen.org www.womenforwomen.org 32-36 Loman Street London SE1 0EH UK T 020-7922-7765 - F 020-7922-7706 general@womenforwomen.org www.womenforwomen.org.uk