Send your message of support ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌







Dear friend,

From rebuilding their lives after fleeing the war in Ukraine to creating new opportunities for women by challenging gendered social norms, women around the world are creating pathways to a more vibrant future for us all.

Today, on International Women’s Day, we invite you to get to know a few of these women below and send a message of support to women participating in our programs around the world.
Send your message ▸
Kawsar

   
   
     
Kawsar dreams of opening her own mechanic shop — a dream that would typically be out of reach for women in her rural area of Ethiopia. But she is proud to be challenging gender norms and showing others what women are capable of.

She is the only woman to graduate from a Mercy Corps job-training program focused on reducing high unemployment rates. The program teaches skills in construction and helps people obtain their drivers’ licenses.

Kawsar is now a licensed driver and working toward her mechanic certificate. She juggles her studies with her household duties, waking up early to prepare meals and get her four children off to school, and studying late into the night.

Her accomplishments have inspired her children who all have big dreams. Some want to be drivers like Kawsar and others want to be mechanical engineers or doctors. She’s also serving as a role model for other women in her community — six women will be participating in the next round of training and Kawsar couldn’t be more proud.
 
Oleksandra

   
   
     
Oleksandra woke with a start on February 24, 2022. It was 5 a.m. in Ukraine and the sky was "full of fire." It was a stark contrast to the peaceful life she was living with her husband and four-year old son, Andri, just a few weeks earlier.

After the shelling started, Oleksandra and her family nearly depleted their savings buying food which had skyrocketed in price. They stood in line for hours to buy bread. They stayed in their home in an area under Russian control and near-constant shellings for almost eight months.

When it became too dangerous to stay, they fled to a shelter run by a Mercy Corps partner. The shelter hosts three families and has a fully stocked kitchen, living area, emergency shelter, and outdoor space.

Oleksandra is making this new place a home for her family, spending her days taking care of Andri, cooking with the other women in the shelter, and watching the children play on the nearby playground.
 
Candelaria

   
   
     
For many women in Guatemala, work is scarce and marrying young is common. But at a Mercy Corps-supported amaranth production facility in Sololá, the majority of employees are women — 125 indigenous women of the Kaqchikeles group.

Candelaria is a production technician and commercialization manager. She oversees packaging, delivery, production processes, and education about the health and medicinal benefits of amaranth.

Growing up with three brothers and five sisters, Candelaria saw different expectations put on women compared to men. Women were not given opportunities to work or take on leadership roles. Instead, they were expected to cook, clean, and do other household work.

Candelaria is challenging gender norms by taking advantage of the job opportunities that her mother didn’t have and volunteering to lead workshops on women’s rights, violence, and discrimination to educate others in her community.
 
When faced with some of the most complex challenges in the world — conflict, poverty, discrimination — women rise up with strength, determination, and perseverance. Take a moment and send your message to our women participants around the world to show your support.

Sincerely,

The Mercy Corps team