Do Good Monday: Women for Women International November 9, 2009

Women for Women International is a non-profit organization that “mobilizes women to change their lives through a holistic approach that addresses the unique needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments.” Women who have lost a great deal in conflict participate in a one-year program that aims to help them heal and become active citizens of their society. Founded by activist and social entrepreneur, Zainab Salbi, and represented by Global Ambassador, Queen Rania of Jordan, Women for Women aims to help an often forgotten segment of the world’s populations. Furthermore, this amazing organization gives women hope and helps them rebuild their lives. Just check out this video:



The Women for Women International model has several steps:

1. The Sponsorship Program: “Direct financial aid from a sponsor helps [women] deal with the immediate effects of war and conflict such as lack of food, water, medicine and other necessities. Exchanging letters with sponsors provides women with an emotional lifeline and a chance to tell their stories —maybe for the first time.”

2. Renewing Women’s Life Skills (ReneWLS) Program: “Provides [women] with rights awareness, leadership education and vocational and technical skills training. Women build upon existing skills and learn new ones in order to regain their strength, stability and stature on the path to becoming active citizens.”

3. Job Skills Training: “[Offers] women market-based skills training so they can find employment or start their own businesses.”

4. Comprehensive Business Services: “Designed to help women start and manage their own microenterprises.”



Women for Women currently works in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Sudan. They also invests in adolescent girls in developing countries as part of The Girl Effect initiative, which was featured in the first-ever “Do Good Monday” post!

You can help by becoming a sponsor for a woman dealing with conflict or donating to Women for Women International. There are also many other ways to get involved like hosting an event, volunteering, shopping for products in the Women to Women online store, or sending an e-card.

And don’t forget to check out their blog to learn about their field work!