The Power of Your Support
Thank you for being a part of the Power Up Club, and for helping to transform the lives of thousands of women survivors of war.
Read on to learn more about the power of your support.
Your Power Up Impact Report
Thank You
THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR POWER UP CLUB – HERE IS A TASTE OF THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT YOU ARE MAKING WITH OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
This Impact Report – the July 2022 Power Update – marks one full year since the Power Up Club launched. You are now one of over 400 members (and counting!).
Inspired by our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme, this is a space for you - our dedicated supporters - to come together with other monthly donors, develop your knowledge and skills, and drive the changes you want to see in the world.
Further down, you’ll be able to read about the power of our global community. See the unwavering strength of our colleagues and sisters in Afghanistan, whose rights continue to be stripped back by the de facto government. Learn more about how your power has enabled us to partner with organisations in Poland and Ukraine to support women affected by Russia’s invasion. Read first-hand stories from our sisters - the women survivors of war we serve – and explore some of our recent blogs. We have also included recordings of the Power Up events we’ve held so far, in case you couldn’t make it or would simply like to watch them again. And that's not all!
None of this would be possible without you and our community of supporters. Your dedication is increasing women’s power globally and building a more equal, peaceful and prosperous future.
On behalf of our global sisterhood - thank you.
What your generosity has achieved
531,498 women survivors of war reached since 1993
15,285 new enrolments across our country programmes so far this year
$250,000 raised to support women affected by the war in Ukraine
Our Mission - Made Possible By You
In countries affected by conflict and war, Women for Women International supports the most marginalised women to earn and save money, improve health and well-being, influence decisions in their home and community, and connect to networks for support.
By utilsing skills, knowledge, and resources gained through our programme, women can create sustainable change for themselves, their families and communities.
Responding to Current Conflicts
More countries are experiencing some form of violent conflict than at any other time in the last 30 years (United Nations)
Our Conflict Respond Fund enables us to respond to crises in real-time, identifying credible partners on the ground and allocating resources to meet the urgent needs of women survivors, no matter what side of a conflict they are on.
We have expanded our work in Ethiopia this year, joining with two new partners: Agar Ethiopia and Association for Women's Sanctuary and Development, to complement our partner in Tigray. More than two million people are estimated to have been forced from their homes and thousands killed in a civil war that broke out in November 2020. Together, we are supporting women and girls who have survived sexual violence in this conflict.
Supporting women affected by the war in Ukraine
The lives of millions of people from Ukraine have been shattered by the Russian invasion
We continue to support women affected by this war and are so grateful for the outpouring of support from you and our wide community.
We are supporting women who are living as refugees in Poland or who are internally displaced within Ukraine - now exposed to extreme violence, abuse and the risk of human trafficking. Many of these women are now also caring for their families alone, in a foreign place, having experienced trauma and loss.
We have identified our first priority partners on the ground, one of them being Bereginia – Mariupol’s Women’s Association. Your generosity has helped us provide legal counselling, vocational training, safe spaces and gender-based violence counselling and prevention. As the war goes on, reports of sexual violence against women are mounting and the impact of the conflict in Ukraine is already seen with soaring prices of bread, other food commodities and fuel in the other countries in which we work.
Your commitment to women affected by war is a lifeline. Thank you for standing in solidarity with women in some of the world’s most dangerous places.
Unfulfilled Promises
We have been working with Syrian refugees living in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) since 2017
We offer socio-economic training and space for community-building to address displacement and economic insecurity. In May, we spoke with 112 women in three refugee camps to produce the “What of Our Unfulfilled Promises” report about the priorities and hopes of Syrian refugee women living in the KRI. One overarching message emerged in our research: What feels like a forever war must not become a forgotten war.
Thanks to ongoing support from people like you, we have also been able to expand our programming footprint in Iraq.
So far this year, we have enrolled 3,200 new participants in Iraq and expanded our presence into the Nineveh Plains region, ensuring we are continuing to reach the most marginalised women in the country. 250 women participants enrolled in the new centre in June – thank you for making this possible.
Supporting our Afghan Sisters
It has been almost a year since the de facto government took control of Afghanistan in August 2021
As the situation continues, your regular support allows us to continue working with Afghan women throughout this crisis.
Our team in Afghanistan have told us about the restrictions women are facing, including that our female colleagues can’t sit together with the men on our team. On 7th May, the burqa mandate was reintroduced, forcing women to cover themselves from head to toe in public. This followed a series of restrictions on women’s movement and freedom - including that women must be accompanied by a male relative to travel more than 72km, and that girls are forbidden from going to secondary school.
Despite these restrictions and the continued conflict, political uncertainty and economic collapse, our team in Afghanistan have shown remarkable resilience and strength. They have led talks with the de facto government and, after months of discussions, managed to negotiate the reopening of our training centres in January this year.
We are now operating in three provinces and have over 1,893 women participating in our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations Programme in Afghanistan.
The crisis is far from over, but we continue to stand with our Afghan sisters and thank you for doing the same.
What Power Up Club Members Say
Your commitment means the world to us and the women we serve - here's what being a part of the power up club means to some of you
The Power Up Club has given me an even stronger sense of sisterhood.
It is a privilege to be part of a community committed to changing the lives of women survivors of war.
We'd love to hear from you!
What does the Power Up Club mean to you?
Your support means so much to us and the women we serve, so we want to make sure you are finding this community as meaningful, engaging and rewarding as possible - and only you can tell us how we're doing.
We would like to invite you to participate in a short, 5-10 minute survey about your experience as a Power Up Club member.
If you complete this survey by 31st July, we'd love to send you a Women for Women International tote bag as an added thank you for your feedback!
Join us on Facebook
If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join the Power Up Club Facebook group to start connecting with other members.
Missed a Power Up Event? Watch now
Power Up Club Launch Event
subtitle:
Welcome to our Power up Club!
As a member, you are invited to bespoke and exclusive events with this powerful community.
Watch our launch event here, hosted by Paulina Stachnik, Head of Communications at Women for Women International - UK, and joined by special guests Seida Sarić, Director of Žene za Žene International and Ema Camo.
Virtual Cooking Class with Mick Elysée
subtitle:
Health and nutrition are key elements of our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme, where participants learn about ways to introduce a more balanced diet in their homes – helping to create a healthier life for both themselves and their families.
We are honoured that world-renowned French-Congolese chef Mick Elysée is sharing two of his fantastic recipes with us today - catch up on our Virtual Cooking Class today!
Your Access Passcode: *DQn9U+m
Tune in for a conversation with our Iraq and Afghanistan Country Director, Aram Shakerm, and Vice President of Global Programs, Marie Clarke, discussing the disproportionate impacts of war and crises on the most marginalised women, the challenges they face and how we can best support them to create sustainable change for themselves, their families and their communities.
Nathalie Errandonea-Mewes is a former classically-trained dancer and founder of NRG Barrebody, an online and in-person Barre community with a studio based in North London.
Join Nathalie for this at-home Barre class, which will help you improve strength and stability, attain a more toned and sculpted physique, and improve your coordination, flexibility, strength and posture. Nathalie also shares her love of dance in a conversation about wellness, strength and empowerment.
Panel discussion with Waad al-Kateab (director of For Sama), Hamza al-Kateab and Afraa Hashem
subtitle:
For Sama is an award-winning film about Waad al-Kateab's life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria, as she falls in love with a doctor, Hamza, gets married and gives birth to her daughter Sama. You can watch For Sama for free in the UK on Channel 4.
Hear from Waad, her husband Hamza and friend Afraa, in this powerful and heartfelt conversation hosted by our Ambassador Basma Khalifa and our Managing Director, Sara Bowcutt.
Watch our virtual Q&A and live discussion with Afghan author and activist Dr. Homeira Qaderi.
Hosted by our Managing Director, Sara Bowcutt, join this moving conversation about Dr. Qaderi's experiences growing up under the Russian occupation in Afghanistan and fighting for women's rights - all centred around her award-winning book Dancing in the Mosque: An Afghan Mother’s Letter to her Son.
Keep Learning & Get Inspired
Marianne Kajokaya is our Country Director in South Sudan. In this blog, she shares how the war in Ukraine is affecting women in some of the world's poorest communities where we work in South Sudan.
5 Facts About What Refugee Women Face
subtitle:
The amount of forcibly displaced people has reached a staggering number—over 114 million according to UNHCR—and the number only continues to increase. This World Refugee Day, learn about the state of refugees today.
Euphrasie
subtitle:
Through genocide, rape and the loss of two children, Euphrasie never lost hope. Read her story, from forced marriage to skilled beadworker and her family's breadwinner.
