Your December 2023 Power Up Impact Report
Thank you for being a part of the Power Up Club in 2023 – the year we turned 30
This year, we have celebrated 30 years of impact. And we have celebrated you ✨
In our 30 years, our work has spanned 17 countries, reaching 583,700 women. And this year alone, we’ve reached over 30,350 women survivors of war – supporting them, with you, to rebuild their lives.
Even as wars rage on, our combined commitment to women everywhere and the power of each and every woman we serve continues to fuel us.
It has been a heartbreaking year, but the women in our programme continue to inspire hope. Their strength is a pathway to a more peaceful world; our work over the last 30 years has shown that to be true.
This year, we have watched and responded to the continued humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, compounded by multiple earthquakes and the forcible return of refugees to a country that remains unsafe for women. You have stood by us and our partners in Ukraine and Poland, where war goes on, even as media coverage wanes. Your solidarity has shone through while we’ve worked to meet the needs of women in Sudan, suffering in a conflict that’s been forgotten by the media, not even one year on. And you’ve stood by us as we pivoted from a pilot programme to emergency response in the West Bank, Palestine, since October.
Despite the horrors of war, we will never lose hope. Together, we will continue to serve women in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Poland, Sudan and Palestine. And, together, we will reach so many other women worldwide – in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Iraq, Syria and more.
Your power, the strength of this community, is transformational. Thank you for standing with us and our sisters.
Read on to get a sense of what 2023 has held for the Power Up Club and the impact of your support!
Use these links to explore your Power Up Impact Report:
⭐ Your impact ⭐
You're part of a powerful community
supporting women in 17 countries
The Power Up Club has grown 39%
since it launched in 2021
Members span 21 countries
and live across 75 regions within the UK
The inspiration
Stronger women, stronger nations
Your monthly gift through the Power Up Club is more than pounds and pennies – it's the start of ripples of change.
The Power Up Club is inspired by our year-long Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme, where women come together in groups of 25 to start rebuilding their lives after war and conflict. They help each other break the isolation caused by war and learn newfound knowledge and skills – all while cheering each other on to drive change for a brighter future.
Like the women we serve, with each monthly gift you come together and drive forward our joint vision of a more equal, peaceful and prosperous world. Thank you!
YOUR EVENTS
Top-attended event of 2023: In Conversation with Clarissa Ward 🌟
Power Up events are a space for you to come together and learn more about the need for and impact of your support.
This year, your top event was In Conversation with Clarissa Ward. Talking to our Managing Director, Sara Bowcutt, Clarissa (CNN Chief International Correspondent) discussed her book, detailing her experiences as a world-renowned conflict reporter in regions where we work, from Ukraine to Afghanistan.
Missed an event?
All your power up events in one place: the archive
Your free Power Up events are inspired by our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme outcomes:
✨ Economic power: learning new skills, increasing our financial literacy and celebrating women business owners and founders
✨ Health: protecting our physical and mental health, taking time for self-care and wellness rituals and promoting good nutrition
✨ Rights & decision-making: increasing our understanding of the risks facing women in conflict-affected regions, and celebrating global activism and our own power to drive change
✨ Sisterhood: coming together to increase our collective impact as a transformative movement, to learn together and to drive the changes we want to see in the world
If you missed an event or would like to watch the recording of one again, you can access them all in your archive. Your past Power Up Impact Reports are in there too.
Get a taste of what your commitment makes possible and top up on inspiration!
Your Power in Numbers
MEETING THE NEEDS OF WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD
583,700 women survivors of war served in 17 conflict-affected countries since 1993
30,350 women served on our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme this year
1,915 men reached through our Men's Engagement Programme this year
In Afghanistan
Reaching Afghan women
Afghanistan faced multiple crises this year, as women's rights continue to deteriorate. Massive earthquakes killed and displaced thousands and 1.7 million refugees are being forced back across the border from Pakistan.
Thanks to regular Power Up Club donations, we have been able to respond quickly. You've helped to provide temporary shelter, maternal and neonatal healthcare and trauma counselling to Afghan women and their families during this time of crisis.
In Palestine
Adapting to meet urgent needs
For the past year, we've been working with Women's Rights Organisations in the West Bank to support women who face violence, food insecurity and unemployment amid the prolonged conflict. Our partners have been adapting in the past few months to meet urgent needs as violence in the region has escalated.
In Sudan
CONFLICT RESPONSE FUND IN ACTION
Following on from eruption of violence in Sudan in April 2023 we expanded our Conflict Response Fund work into Sudan, partnering with three local organisations. Thanks to your support we have been able to help our partners in providing emergency support to women and girls with hygiene kits, psychological counselling and emergency kits containing both food and non-food items. Together, these partners are reaching approximately 1,150 women this year.
Global data
Women for Women International has committed to using the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals as a framework to share the data we collect from our programme and our contribution towards implementing the Goals. The latest annual data (from 2022) highlights the realities for the women you support with your gift each month.
Thanks to your support we continue to reach more women around the world
Over the last 30 years we have served over half a million women in 17 countries around the world. In 2023 we started working with women in Palestine, Mali, Burkina Faso and Sudan. We continue to address the needs of the most marginalised women. This would not be possible without your incredible support.
In the past 30 years we have reached over half a million women in 17 countries affected by conflict
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Country Offices
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Sister Organisations (past Country Offices)
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Current Conflict Response Fund Countries
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Past Conflict Response Fund Countries
30 Years of Sisterhood
Celebrating the power of inspirational women
On 1st November, we brought together a community of dedicated supporters for a very special evening celebrating Women for Women International’s impact over the past 30 years and the inspirational power of women to change their worlds. We welcomed over 150 guests, including Women for Women International Ambassadors, for an evening drinks reception and an exclusive private viewing of the Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto exhibition.
Raising women's voices
our podcast
What Makes Us Stronger is our podcast featuring the voices of courageous women who’ve lived through unbelievably difficult times in countries like Afghanistan, Syria and South Sudan. Host Nisha Singh, our Global Policy and Advocacy Manager, explores how these women took on new roles and found the strength to keep going.
Season 2 is brought to you thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery with funds awarded by Postcode Justice Trust, in support of women survivors of war.
#SheDares
When women's rights are on the line
This year, we launched our #SheDares campaign, galvanising support for women survivors of war who stand up for their rights and bring change. It’s a celebration of the bravery of all women: our friends, our families, ourselves.
Your support tells these brave and defiant women that when they dare to stand up and raise their voices, you stand with them.
Our Ambassadors
They went above and beyond, yet again
Throughout 2023, our Ambassadors used their platforms to raise awareness and vital funds for the women we serve. While Clarissa Ward and Tina Daheley shared their incredible insights and expertise with us through powerful virtual events, Dame Helen Mirren showed her solidarity by listing her stunning red carpet dresses on By Rotation and donated the proceeds to our work. Meanwhile, Alex Eagle and the Car Boot Sale Committee took the #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale to the next level, making it even bigger and better than ever before! Most recently, we were so proud to see so many Ambassadors join us at the V&A in November to celebrate 30 years of global sisterhood.
Introducing our Champions
Mobilising support for our work
This year, we were very excited to introduce you to our Women for Women International Champions. They are all passionate and committed volunteers who leverage their platforms and influence to share our mission of supporting women survivors of war. We can't wait to see the incredible impact we can make together in 2024.
#SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale
Fashion for good
The “chicest Car Boot Sale ever” returned in May! Hosted by Alex Eagle and powered by Reselfridges, we welcomed nearly 2,000 guests to Selfridges car park. Luxury brands, designers, and fashion and beauty insiders filled 26 boots with new, past-season, vintage and pre-loved fashion, raising over £280,000. Since its launch in 2016, the #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale has now raised over £1.2 million to help women survivors of war rebuild their lives.
The Shake It In Sisterhood Danceathon
Dancing in support of women survivors of war
On Sunday, 25th June, at Siobhan Davies Studios in London, we challenged 37 supporters to #ShakeItInSisterhood for six hours to raise vital funds for women survivors of war. We partnered with SOS Dance, who brought us six incredible routines led by A-list choreographers Li Li Hodge and Kelechi Nwanokwu, while our Event Champions Aimie Atkinson and Abbie Quinnen helped lift everyone's energy. Our dancers raised over £21,000, helping us enroll 79 women in our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme!
2023 in the news
1 February 2023 | Daily Express
Women for Women International staff member Saara (not her real name) explains to the Daily Express what life is like under the de facto government and amidst economic crises in Afghanistan. As always, we stand and act with Afghan women, amplifying their voices.
28 February 2023 | The Hill
Women for Women International CEO, Laurie Adams spoke to The Hill about the use of rape as a weapon of war and how we are supporting survivors of sexual violence in Ukraine.
Women are suffering in war – this is how we’re supporting those who are working to rebuild
subtitle:
23 October 2023 | Stylist
All people suffer in war, and women face unique vulnerabilities that are too often forgotten or ignored. Sara Bowcutt, UK Managing Director of Women for Women International speaks to Stylist about the incredible resilience and courage of the women survivors of war we serve.
Read our blog
In the early hours of February 24, 2022, a televised announcement by Russian President Vladmir Putin would ignite a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Citing his objectives of the country’s “demilitarisation” and “denazification”, his words signaled the siege of key Ukrainian cities by Russian military forces and upended the lives of Ukrainian men, women, and children.
Women in Afghanistan have seemingly been erased from public life. The de facto government is stripping back their rights, one restriction after another. But two years since the takeover, women refuse to back down. Read about how our brave and defiant Afghan sisters are taking a stand, wielding their power and holding onto hope.
The women we serve are all survivors of war or conflict – but far too many have survived violence against women as well. Despite the trauma, they continue to push for change. They rebuild their lives while working towards a brighter future for their children, and many become activists to drive wider, long-lasting change for their communities. In this blog we share the stories of five women, Nabintu from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mila from Ukraine and Grace, Hadiza and Joyce from Nigeria.
