With International Women’s Day falling this Sunday 8th March, we decided to rally our coworking community together to get behind a cause close to our entrepreneurial hearts; empowering others.
Taking this year’s ‘Each to Equal’ theme into account, we thought to ourselves, how can we best support female entrepreneurs and self-starters outside of our network with an opportunity to grow their own businesses?
Whilst we are fortunate enough to live in a country with fair access to capital and be part of a business community with countless financial opportunities and initiatives, others are not so privileged. Even more so if you are a woman.
Worldwide, women have less economic opportunity, security, and freedom, particularly in developing countries. Access to capital in particular, such as bank loans, is a considerable constraint to the growth of female-owned businesses.
Enter Kiva.
Kiva is an international nonprofit with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. They connect online lenders to entrepreneurs in areas unable to access fair and affordable sources of credit.
They unlock with capital by crowdfunding zero-interest loans, improving the quality and cost of financial services, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world. And with the power of the internet, anyone with a few dollars to spare can play a part in supporting these communities.
Not only does lending create a partnership of mutual dignity, it also allows lenders to touch more lives with the same money. Once you fund a loan and get repaid, you can then continue the cycle by funding another individual or community. This ripple effect shapes the future of entire communities; creating employment, boosting local economies, and inspiring others to pursue their own businesses.
For women in particular, this financial inclusion gives them the empowerment and inspiration they require to truly thrive and create their own future.
As a lender, you can give these women direct access to capital to help them build a better future through business. There is no fee to sign up, and you can donate as little as $25.
For International Women’s Day, we have created a Sustainable Valley lending team where we can combine our loans to collectively fund women entrepreneurs and small business owners over time. Whilst you can withdraw your loan once it is repaid, we intend to continue to reinvest our capital to keep the cycle of support alive.
Simply follow this link to sign up, join our team and offer your first loan to the cause of your choice. We have suggested a few female-led causes within the team to lend to, with the intention of reaching a target together, but this is up to you.
From there, we can watch the difference we are making as a collective force, and continue to fund other causes.
Ready to go? Join our team and contribute your first loan for as little as $25!
Note: This is a loan, not a donation. Lenders receive on average about 96% of their money back and agree not to receive interest.
