From caregivers creating safe havens for children with disabilities to community leaders building new futures, anything is possible when women are uplifted with the resources, confidence, and opportunities needed to thrive. Ahead of International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting inspiring stories of women whose lives have been transformed through the support of mission-driven charities.
The charities featured are facilitating lasting change by empowering women to pursue education, achieve financial independence, and care for their families. Their work is a reminder that when women are supported, the impact extends far beyond one individual. It strengthens families, transforms communities, and shapes a more equitable world for all.
This International Women’s Day, donate to these charities in your workplace giving campaign to uplift women and girls around the world.
Children International
Children International’s social and financial education program in Kolkata, India, is empowering girls like Dilnasheen through entrepreneurship and business literacy.
Learn about their dedication to help kids break the cycle of poverty and eradicate it from their lives in this video:
Feed My Starving Children
Mama Edith gave birth to a son with special needs. Raising a child with disabilities is challenging anywhere, but as a single mother living in extreme poverty, it felt impossible. Her family urged her to let him die. When she refused, they disowned her.
Still, Mama Edith did not give up. She saw a future for her son, and soon other families facing the same challenges began bringing their children to her for care. As the need grew, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) came alongside Home of Hope to help provide consistent, nutritious meals.
What began as one mother’s determination is now a lifeline for 96 children with special needs. Each child has a unique story and a unique path forward. Some need full-time support with feeding, mobility, and therapy. Others are gaining access to education once thought out of reach — including one young woman now earning a college degree online. At Home of Hope, every child’s life looks different, but each one begins with care, dignity, and proper nutrition.
FMSC volunteers pack MannaPack® meals, and supporters help cover the cost, so children at Home of Hope can eat day after day. Because that nutrition is reliable, Home of Hope can direct limited funds to medical care, therapy, and education. Mama Edith has faced hardship, opposition, and setbacks, but she keeps saying yes to children who need it most.
Women for Women International
In Pola’s words:
Life in La-ku village, Plateau State, in Nigeria wasn’t always easy, especially for a young girl dreaming of a brighter future. Like many girls growing up in my community, I faced challenges that tested my strength and spirit from a very young age.
But through hope, determination, and the support of a powerful program organized by Women for Women International, my story has taken a turn I never imagined possible. This is my journey, from the fields of my parents’ farm to becoming a woman who knows her worth, embraces her dreams, and refuses to be defined by her circumstances.
My name is Pola; I’m 25 years old. As the eldest of six children in a farming family, from a young age I helped my parents on the farm planting tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. We worked hard just to survive.
All of us started primary school, but when it was time for secondary school, two of my siblings dropped out, and my parents couldn’t continue paying my fees either. I stopped school in the 6th grade, even though I truly wanted to continue. That was one of the hardest things for me.
Instead of going back to school, my parents enrolled me in a tailoring training program, but before I could complete it, I became pregnant and moved in with my boyfriend and his family in Zot Foron village. Life with his family was tough. There was no real welcome, but I had to endure, for the sake of my daughter.
When I heard about the Women for Women International program from women in my community who had graduated, I knew I wanted to join. I saw how they had changed; how confident and strong they were after going through the program. Some had started small businesses; others were supporting their families better.
Since joining their ‘Stronger Women Stronger Nations’ program, my life has turned around. I love all parts of the program. My business class taught me how to save and be accountable, while the social empowerment classes taught me about my rights and how to live my daily life with confidence. I have learned so much about how to take care of myself and my family, how to manage money, how to build relationships, and how to speak up.
Before the program, I wasn’t part of any group, but through Women for Women, I learned about the power of women supporting each other. Because of the Women’s Solidarity sessions, I understand the value of community.
The Household Financial Management classes helped me so much. We used to spend money carelessly, but now I budget and track our expenses. I’ve learned how to plan and save, and it’s given me peace of mind. The health sessions also changed my habits; I now boil our drinking water, clean our home properly, and I’ve stopped taking medicine without a prescription. I even started using family planning, because I want to be ready and stable before having another child.
One session that changed my life completely was the session on gender-based violence. I never understood that what I was going through in my husband’s family was abuse. After I gave birth, they barely gave me food or even soap to bathe. I was treated like I didn’t matter. That class opened my eyes. So, I decided to return to my parents’ home and rebuild my life. When my husband came to ask me to return, I told him to come with his family and accept me properly. They never came. That’s when I knew they had never truly accepted me. And I was done settling for less.
I now have hope. I’ve used my stipends to buy three goats and 10 chickens. I chose poultry because I can sell eggs, use the manure for farming, and build a sustainable business. I also bought a small piece of land to farm maize and groundnuts. I even saved to buy water containers and pots for my home.
In the future, I want to open a provision shop and expand my farm.
I have dreams now. Real, solid plans for my life and my daughter’s.
Global Fund for Widows
In communities all over the world, widows are denied land, inheritance, and the right to make decisions about their own lives. Not because the law says so, but because so few know what the law actually says. As part of Global Fund for Widows, over 31,000 widows have completed legal literacy training leading to over 450 widows challenging their in-laws and communities in courts of law. Equipped with this knowledge, thousands of GFW widows protect their homes, their children, and support other women facing similar situations.
In Egypt, following the death of her husband, GFW beneficiary Martha wanted to re-open her husband’s falafel restaurant, but her in-laws refused to let her take over the business, believing it was inappropriate for women to work.
As her and her children’s situation continued to deteriorate, she was introduced to the Widows Savings and Loans Associations (WISALA) program. With the support of group leaders and her husband’s brothers, she was able to join the group and co-capitalized a WISALA.
“With the help of the WISALA group members and some diplomacy, I managed to convince my in-laws to let me reopen the falafel business. I took a loan and now the business is doing so well that I have hired the wives of my husband’s brothers to work with me! After repaying the first loan to WISALA, I took a second loan to expand the restaurant. I thank God for the help that I got that enabled me to rebuild my house and create a better life for my family. Words are not enough to describe how highly I value the WISALA program,” said Matha.
Because of Global Fund for Widows over 26,000 widows across Egypt own their own business and have access to loans and sustainable incomes, supporting over 52,000 children.
Tostan Inc.
In Karantaba Tabokoto, a village tucked into the far eastern corner of The Gambia, life has always been defined by resilience. The dry season brings dust and scarcity, the rains bring renewal, and for generations, women like Sanna Sisawo have carried the weight of keeping their families afloat.
Sanna, a mother of five, once ran a tiny food stand with little more than determination and hope. Her customers were loyal, but her resources were scarce. “I used to wake up every morning wondering how I would afford the next bag of beans,” she recalls. With no access to credit or formal banking, expanding her small business felt impossible.
Everything began to change when Tostan — a West African NGO known for its Community Empowerment Program — introduced a small loan initiative in her village. Guided by local committees and rooted in trust, the program helps women develop leadership, financial literacy, and confidence. When Sanna was selected to receive a modest grant of 5,000 dalasi (about $75), she saw it as more than money — it was a chance to rewrite her story.
She used the funds to buy beans, oil, and onions to prepare hot meals for schoolchildren and neighbors. Within weeks, she was earning steady income and reinvesting her profits. Her business, once a humble roadside stand, became a reliable source of food and comfort for her community.
“Before, I could barely provide for my children,” she says. “Now, I can send them to school with pride.”
The change in Sanna’s life goes far beyond financial stability. She has become a mentor to other women, encouraging them to save, plan, and believe in their own potential. “I want to help other women start their own businesses,” she adds. “When one of us rises, we all rise.”
Tostan’s approach goes beyond aid — it’s about building lasting capacity and dignity. By placing decision-making power in the hands of communities, the program creates space for women to become economic actors, educators, and leaders. For Sanna, the loan wasn’t charity; it was recognition of her potential.
Her story captures a larger truth often missed in global development conversations: change doesn’t always start with grand projects or large sums of money. Sometimes, it begins with a single opportunity — a small spark of trust and investment that allows someone like Sanna to stand taller, dream bigger, and inspire others to do the same.
Today, as she plans to expand her business and train other women, Sanna’s success is more than personal. It’s a reminder that empowerment, when rooted in dignity and community, can light the way for generations.
As we reflect on these stories, one message is clear: when women are empowered, entire communities are transformed. Each journey represents the ripple effect of investing in women.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate not only the achievements of women around the world, but also the organizations walking alongside them. By supporting charities that uplift women and girls through your workplace giving program, you can help build a more equitable, inclusive, and hopeful future — one where every woman has the chance to transform her life and her community.
Thank you Children International, Feed My Starving Children, Women for Women International, Global Fund For Widows, and Tostan Inc. for providing content for this blog.
