According to the non-profit organization Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund, as many as 70% of women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries are unserved or underserved by financial institutions.

It is crucial to a country’s development to allow women to contribute to the household and bring income into the home.

Promoting women entrepreneurship advances gender equality, escape from sex trafficking and changes the lives of children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Wives who are in an abusive relationship, starting a small business gives these women the courage to say, “no more” to violence in the home and move their children to a safe area.

Finding Inner Peace and Strength

Entrepreneurship helps bring communities out of poverty and increase the quality of life for all. Stronger family bonds are created from increased income.

Following the Rwandan genocide in 1994, 70% of the population were women. Most were widowed through genocide.

To support themselves and their families, some of whom are HIV positive, these brave women weave baskets and sell them through Fair Winds Trading.

The craft of weaving colorful baskets by hand has brought Hutu and Tutsi women together and peace to their communities, heal from the trauma of murder and rape experienced during the genocide on both sides.

Rwanda’s “peace baskets” allow mothers to provide for their children’s future such as food, healthcare, pay school fees, and housing.

Bringing home a steady income reduces the stress of domestic life, domestic abuse, and increased respect for their wives from the sale of baskets.

5 Ways to Encourage Entrepreneurship

Charity begins at home, invest in her. Lenders all over the world make it possible for non-profit organizations to continue to transform lives globally hence improving living standards for women while improving humanity.

1. Kiva

For as little as $25, you help women invest in the next generation, health and education, and reduce poverty in 83 different countries. 100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes to funding loans.

2. Free the Girls

By donating bras to this non-profit organization, you are empowering survivors of human trafficking to become entrepreneurs by selling bras in second-hand markets throughout their community.

3. SCORE

Share your expertise in areas of marketing, social media, finance, and legal by volunteering to be a mentor for a future small business owner. Helping a prospective business owner to write a business plan increases the likelihood of the business succeeding.

4. United Prosperity

Become a social lender and provide a microloan to a woman entrepreneur to grow or start a small business. As the microloan gets paid back, why not repurpose to funds to help support another entrepreneur.

5. Empower Fellow Women Business Owners

As a woman entrepreneur, empowering fellow women business owners by sharing insights into the day to day stresses of running a business is invaluable.

Providing feedback to another woman business owner can prepare her for the roadblocks ahead and set her up for success on how to overcome them successfully.

If you are looking for other ways to support global citizenship, check out my post, 6 Small Acts That Can Change the World for more ideas on how to contribute and support the growth of female entrepreneurs.