Introduction

Every woman has the power to transform her world.

But across the globe women’s voices are silenced and their contributions are undervalued. Conflict and war deepen this injustice. At Women for Women International (WfWI), we invest where inequality is greatest by supporting women who are forgotten – the women survivors of war and conflict. Through our programs, women are equipped with the social and economic skills they need to realize and reclaim their own power.

2022 has been marked by a rise in conflict and crisis. It’s been a year in which women’s rights have been systematically stripped away. Across the world, women have grappled with violence, inflation and the trauma of war.

Despite these challenges, your generosity has enabled us to reach 553,437 women survivors of war since 1993. With your support, the women we serve have come together and realized their inherent power to rebuild their lives, their families and their communities.

Thanks
 to You

31,
000
Women served in 2022 *
00
%
Graduation rate
globally
000
%
Increase in women's
savings **

* Total women served in 2022 by WfWI directly and through partners.

** Average personal or household savings increased from $62 to $185 by program end.

Message from Laurie Adams, CEO

2022 marked a year of rising conflict and crises across the world. Thanks to your support, we were able to increase our global footprint in 2022 to meet the urgent and longer term needs of women impacted by escalating conflict.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, our sister organization, Žene za Žene based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, led our response. Having been through the trauma of the Bosnian war, they knew what their sisters in Ukraine were going through. We mobilized our Conflict Response Fund (CRF) in Poland and Ukraine, working with local partners to provide trauma-informed counselling, medical care, legal support as well as vocational skill training to Ukrainian women.

We activated new partnerships in the Amhara region of Ethiopia providing safe houses for survivors of sexual violence. In a first for WfWI, our copyrighted training curriculum was licensed to our CRF partners in Myanmar and Syria – a testament to our ability to provide longer term support to women beyond meeting their urgent needs when a conflict erupts.

In Afghanistan where we’ve been operating since 2002, women’s rights are being rolled back at an alarming rate. Despite the latest decree banning women from working in NGOS, thanks to our locally-led team, we’ve been able to secure permission at the district and province levels to continue in-person trainings. I’m proud to say that WfWI is one of the few international NGOs providing direct services to women in Afghanistan. We continued advocating for Afghan women’s voices to be heard, publishing policy reports and facilitating a delegation of exiled Afghan women’s rights activists at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

We expanded our Change Agent program, implementing it for the first time in South Sudan and Iraq. We expanded to new locations in the existing countries where we operate such as Cross River State in Nigeria and in Ninevah Plains in Iraq, a region once occupied by ISIS.

I invite you to read through the sections below to learn how your support has been vital in advancing WfWI’s mission. I am so grateful to you, our global community, for continuing to invest in the power of women.

As we look to next year, which also marks 30 years since our humble beginnings in 1993, I am constantly energized by the transformation that is possible when women survivors of war come together to realize their power and potential.

In Solidarity,
Laurie Adams, CEO

Read More Show Less
2022 Global Highlights
Local Power, Global Impact
DRC

One of the key goals of our program is to help women access affordable healthcare, including by using savings groups as a platform for health insurance. In 2022 we expanded our micro-health insurance project to two new districts. Women and their families are achieving at least 50% reduction in fees on average, resulting in a greater likelihood that they will seek and receive the healthcare they need.

Nigeria

After persistent advocacy to community and government leaders, our Change Agents made history by opening a primary school—the first to open in the Rudugungu community in 50 years! Established to increase educational access to girls, 92 students joined on the first day, half this number being young girls.

South Sudan

Over 200 women graduates of our SWSN program received formal advocacy training on how to become effective changemakers for women’s rights in their communities. Women who graduated from our Change Agents program applied their training to educate radio listeners in South Sudan and in neighboring countries on topics like women’s health and wellness, gender-based violence and civic engagement.

Iraq

We expanded our programs to Nineveh Plains after the region’s liberation from ISIS forces. This is an effort that has taken years in the making, and we are grateful that 700 women from ethno-religious minorities targeted by ISIS were able to convene for the first time in years as part of their healing process.

Afghanistan

After our training centers were able to re-open in January 2022 following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, hundreds of women showed up to enroll in our program. Across 16 different training centers located in four provinces we were able to serve 3,310 women in our SWSN program.

Rwanda

2022 was the second year of Women for Women Rwanda’s establishment as an independent local sister organization after being a WfWI country office since 1997. A total of 425 women were served in the SWSN program, many of whom were under 25 and had experienced teenage pregnancy. As part of the program, they received counseling services to reconnect with their families after the stigma of their pregnancies placed a strain on their relationships.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Žene za Žene (ZzZ)​ International, our sister organization, led our response to the war in Ukraine. Over 2,000 women displaced in Poland and Ukraine received support through four local partners. At the same time, ZzZ fostered the growth of 16 small business associations across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kosovo

Through a tailored version of the SWSN program, our sister organization Kosova Women 4 Women reached 711 women. An additional 138 women were added to a graduate network for connections for their businesses or social support and 205 women also received mental health resources.

Myanmar

Beginning in February of 2022, 74 women and 30 girls from the country’s Rohingya Muslim community were trained on literacy, numeracy and basic life skills, with an emphasis on women’s health by our partner the Center for Social Integrity. Women and girls from the Rakhine and Hindu ethnic groups also participate to cultivate an environment of cooperation and unity.

Ethiopia

In collaboration with our partners Agar Ethiopia and the Association for Women's Sanctuary and Development in the Amhara region, we established two safe houses for 291 women and their children to find temporary refuge, receive food and learn new trades. In Tigray, through our partner Mums for Mums, 951 women and girl survivors of sexual violence received counseling and psychological first aid.

Syria

Our CRF partner Women Now for Development began training 250 women (the vast majority who are displaced) in the Marea’a province of Aleppo using our SWSN program approach and curricula. Women received the resources to reclaim their power amid the ongoing civil war.

Poland

The HumanDoc Foundation and Bereginya - the Mariupol Women’s Association provided 572 displaced women and children with trauma-informed care, legal resources and safe housing. Nearly 60 women also received language instruction in Polish to help adapt to their new lives, and 164 women received vocational training through professional mentorship opportunities.

Ukraine

Over 1,500 women and children survivors of the war received psycho-social and socioeconomic support through The Andreev Foundation after their communities were liberated from Russian forces. A second partner, D.O.M.48.24, also specialized in creating income-generating opportunities for 64 women, including “Coworking for Cosmetologists” in October of 2022.

Below are a few accomplishments that our global community of supporters helped make possible in 2022:

In the face of harsh restrictions and intimidation, Afghan women found the courage to show up in the thousands to our training centers after we resumed our program.

Braving missile attacks and freezing temperatures, often working without electricity, our partners in Ukraine remain steadfast in their search for women survivors in this war.

Twelve years of war in Syria has not defeated the spirit of Syrian women who are embarking on our 12-month training program to reclaim their power.

From using radio shows to talk about culturally taboo topics like sex education and child marriage, to speaking up against the stigma of rape, our Agents of Change in South Sudan are breaking patriarchal norms by engaging men, church leaders, and tribal chiefs to forge peace and change behaviors in their communities.

Taking place during Women’s History Month in March, our global #PowerToChange campaign called for our supporters to use their power to change the world for women everywhere and in our 16 Days of Activism campaign, we rallied with them to advocate for ending violence against women.

First batch of SWSN participants graduating since our training center in Kabul reopened in 2022. Credit: WfWI.
Syrian women talking about social empowerment in training provided by Women Now for Development. Credit: WfWI.
Syrian women talking about social empowerment in training provided by Women Now for Development. Credit: Women Now for Development.
Program participants during 16 Days of Activism Parade in South Sudan. Credit: WfWI
Program participants during 16 Days of Activism in Iraq. Credit: Sabua.
Iryna Andreeva, Co-Founder, The Andreev Foundation. Credit: Iryna Andreeva.
Rachel Boketa at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Protection of Civilians
A tailoring session in Kawrgosk refugee camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Photo by Sabua.
Changing the World, One Woman at a Time
When women living in war-torn communities learn to reclaim their power, they use this power to rebuild their lives and families and transform their communities.

When women living in war-torn communities learn to reclaim their power, they use this power to rebuild their lives and families and transform their communities.

Our locally-led teams provide women with social and economic training and resources so they can earn and save money, understand their rights, improve their health, access networks for support, and effect change in unjust societal rules.

But women can’t do it alone. Through our complementary programs, we engage with men,

But women can’t do it alone. Through our complementary programs, we engage with men, community structures, policy makers and graduates of our program to address discriminatory social norms and practices, enhance and create more opportunities for women, and provide the support women need to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way.

We know women pass on their knowledge to their neighbors and children, creating a ripple effect for generations.

By investing in women, we create a better world for all of us—a world that’s more equal, peaceful and prosperous.

Our Programs
Stronger Women,
Stronger Nations Program

In 2022, a total of 25,572 women participated in the SWSN program across seven different countries. It is our core 12-month long program in which participants form connections in class, learning how to earn and save money, build businesses, understand their rights, improve their health, and influence decisions in their families and communities.

Discover
Advocacy
.

In 2022, 450 Change Agents graduated, and we began training our first class in Iraq. In May, our Country Director for the DRC, Rachel Boketa, briefed the UN Security Council on armed conflict, poverty, and humanitarian access. At the 2022 UN General Assembly, we co-hosted a private roundtable with exiled Afghan women activists and decision-makers on how the international community can better support Afghan women.

Discover
Men’s Engagement
Program

In 2022, we reached 7,734 men and worked with them to engage local leaders to use their influence to promote women’s rights. Midline results from research in Rwanda found that MEP, combined with SWSN, increased men’s recognition of women’s financial contributions and men’s likelihood of reporting their earnings to a partner. It also significantly reduced women’s victimization and acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence.

Discover
Change Agents Community Dialogue meeting with the chiefs in Yei. Photo by Charles Atiki Lomodong.
Learning by
Continuously Adapting

Women for Women International is committed to ensuring the strongest possible impact and value of our programs. For this reason, we consistently refine our programming according to our monitoring and evaluation data, which monitors our participants’ livelihood and economic prospects after joining the SWSN program.

Research to maximize impact

WfWI uses rigorous research to measure impact and inform strategic program adaptations. In 2022, results from WfWI's randomized controlled trial in DRC inspired significant improvements to WfWI's Men's Engagement Program globally. Similar program adaptations - designed to improve women's outcomes - are the subject of ongoing research in Rwanda and DRC, which will strengthen WfWI's knowledge of its community impact. Rigorous research continues to sharpen WfWI's work and inform changes that improve the lives of women we serve.

Earnings and savings

79% of women report saving a portion of their earnings by the time they graduate, compared to 20% at enrollment, a nearly three-fold increase.

Food security

Globally, 69% fewer women report household food insecurity at graduation compared to enrollment.

Decision-making

84% of women report participating in household financial decisions by graduation, compared to just 44% at the beginning of the program.

Self-efficacy

Women’s score on a scale measuring confidence and ability to reach goals increased by 114% from the start of the program to graduation.

Reinventing my life:
Deborah in Nigeria

When Deborah lost her husband, she struggled to tend to their farm and earn money alone. Her eldest daughter dropped out of school because she was unable to pay for her school fees, and Deborah lost sleep over how she would maintain the responsibilities of her household as a widow.

Through our SWSN program, Deborah was trained on storing and selling grain in line with farming season. She also learned to budget and save money, and she is using her training to build her own busines—as she says, “something that belongs to me.” Now, her children no longer miss out on attending school over unpaid fees, as she is able to make consistent payments.

Deborah smiles in front of her house. Credit: WfWI
SWSN program participants during training in Afghanistan. Credit: WfWI.
Act with
Afghan Women

Since Taliban forces took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, women’s lives have completely changed. They are experiencing a harsh rollback of their rights and are being systematically excluded from public life. Women in Afghanistan have lost many of their most basic freedoms – the freedom to leave their homes on their own, get an education, wear what they want and work wherever they want. Despite all the hardships they face, Afghan women have not given up the will to shape their own lives. And we at Women for Women International have not given up our role supporting them to do it.

We’ve had to adapt and pivot several times, including modifying our curriculum and finding ways for our female staff to work virtually in some locations, while in other locations locally-led teams have secured permission at the district and province levels to resume in-person trainings for participants by female staff. Women for Women International is one of the few organizations providing direct services and a safe haven for Afghan women to gather in our training centers so they can continue their learning.

Since 2002, we have reached more than 130,000 women located in five provinces of Afghanistan. Upon resuming our programs in 2022 in four provinces, over 3,110 women received training through our SWSN program across 16 training centers.

At the 2022 UN General Assembly we partnered with WILPF and the Norwegian Mission to the UN to co-host a private roundtable on how the international community can better support Afghan women and women’s rights organizations. This roundtable brought together high-level representatives from UN member states and agencies and Afghan women activists to openly discuss their priorities with world leaders. Some of their top recommendations were shared in a press briefing

Learn more

SWSN program participants during training in Parwan, Afghanistan. Credit: WfWI.
image image
A Glimpse of Hope:
Obaida in Afghanistan

Obaida joined the SWSN program in Afghanistan to learn how to make ends meet for her family. She learned sewing as a means to generate an income. When the de facto government abducted her husband, she used her stipends and sewing skills to earn money and feed their children in his absence.

Obaida in her house with her chickens. Credit: WfWI.
Securing Immediate Aid for
Women in Escalating Crises

When war breaks out, women often suffer the most. In 2018, we launched the Conflict Response Fund (CRF) to respond to emerging conflicts around the world. WfWI identifies credible partners on the ground and allocates resources to meet the critical needs of women survivors, no matter what side of a conflict they are on.

Supporting Syrian Women

In 2020, we began working with Women Now for Development (WND) to support women affected by the civil war in Syria. That partnership expanded in September 2022 to begin an 8-month training for 250 women in Mare’a District, Aleppo based on our SWSN training curricula.

Note: At the moment we are redirecting our current grant to urgently assist our colleagues at Women Now for Development in Northwest Syria and Gaziantep, Türkiye, who have been severely affected by the devastating earthquakes in February 2023. With 11 years of war the situation in Syria is made worse by limited infrastructure and resources, adding to the deep trauma of women survivors of war and their families.

Read more
Our Conflict Response Fund Partnerships:
Ethiopia

Partnering with Mums for Mums in Tigray region and AWSAD and Agar Ethiopia in the Amhara region to reach women survivors of the civil war.

Program participants in Tigray region. Credit: Mums for Mums.

In collaboration with our partners Agar Ethiopia and the Association for Women's Sanctuary and Development in the Amhara region, we established two safe houses for 291 women and their children to find temporary refuge, receive food and learn new trades. In Tigray, through our partner Mums for Mums , 951 women and girl survivors of sexual violence received counseling and psychological first aid. Learn more.

Myanmar

Partnering with the Center for Social Integrity to create educational opportunities for Rohingya women and adolescent girls to develop literacy, numeracy and life skills.

Life skill classes in Myanmar. Credit: CSI.

Beginning in February of 2022, 74 women and 30 girls from the country’s Rohingya Muslim community were trained on literacy, numeracy and basic life skills, with an emphasis on women’s health by our partner the Center for Social Integrity. Women and girls from the Rakhine and Hindu ethnic groups also participated to cultivate an environment of cooperation and unity. Learn more.

Ukraine

Partnering with The Andreev Foundation and D.O.M.48.24 to locate and support women survivors of the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian survivor. Credit: The Andreev Foundation.

1,500 women and children survivors of the war received psycho-social and socioeconomic support from our partner, The Andreev Foundation. Another partner, D.O.M.48.24, also specialized in creating income-generating opportunities for 64 women, including “Coworking for Cosmetologists” in October of 2022. Learn more.

Poland

Partnering with Bereginya - the Mariupol Women’s Association and the HumanDoc Foundation to provide resources for displaced Ukrainian women.

Art therapy session. Credit: Bereginya.

The HumanDoc Foundation and Bereginya - the Mariupol Women’s Association provided 253 displaced women and children with trauma-informed care and legal resources, including safe house shelters for 200. Nearly 60 women also received language instruction in Polish to help adapt to their new lives, and 164 women received vocational training through professional mentorship opportunities. Learn more.

The Road to Survival: Nastaysia from Ukraine

Nastaysia fled Ukraine after living conditions from the war grew worse by the day. After a risky escape on a truck with boxes of humanitarian aid, she and her children arrived in Poland and received temporary refuge through our partners.

Photo credit: Алесь Усцінаў.
Art therapy session in Poland with Ukrainian survivors. Credit: Bereginya and The HumanDoc Foundation.
Ukrainian Women Are Finding Strength in Unity

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, there have been multiple reports of rape and torture perpetrated by Russian soldiers. The experience of surviving sexual assault and the loss of family and friends has left many women in physical, emotional and psychological distress.

To meet the needs of these women, we worked closely with our sister organization, Žene za Žene, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who led our urgent response to support women survivors of the war. Through four local partnerships formed through the Conflict Response Fund, we ensured women survivors had access to medical care, trauma-informed counseling and legal resources.

Alongside our partners, we are committed to supporting women caught in the crossfire of a relentless war, as they pursue their path towards healing and eventually rebuilding their lives.

Ukrainian Refugees Heal by Keeping Hope Alive

During her travels to Poland, our CEO Laurie Adams spoke with women displaced by the war in Ukraine. There she listened to their stories of escape, loss and grief—and hope for what the future will bring.

Read more
Being Inspired by the Women We Serve
Being Inspired by the Women We Serve

Our What Makes Us Stronger podcast launched in 2022 as a platform to amplify the voices of the women we serve who share their experiences to inspire change. Hosted by our Global Policy and Advocacy Manager Nisha Singh, our listeners tuned in to stories from Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our podcast saw success with over 1.2M listens and a 70% average listen-through rate.

In collaboration with our WfWI Nigeria country office, we also developed “Through Dada’s Eyes”, a virtual reality short film recorded in Bauchi State. This film brings insight into Dada’s journey as she left her home to escape Boko Haram’s constant violence and is learning to rebuild her life having enrolled in our SWSN program.

Through Dada’s Eyes: WfWI’s First Virtual Reality Film

“Through the Eyes of Dada” is a virtual journey to Bauchi, a city plunged into the insurgency of Boko Haram. Viewers, through VR headsets, immerse themselves in Dada’s world as she trailblazes new territory, gaining confidence, learning about her rights and becoming financially independent.

Watch the film

What Makes Us Stronger: WfWI First Podcast

What Makes Us Stronger, WfWI’s new podcast channel, highlights the courageous women in the midst of crisis and conflict, who are finding courage in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. As they share their stories, they speak with the purpose of inspiring change for women around the world.

Listen now
Our Global Community of Supporters

Through fundraising and engagement, our supporters around the world took part in some of our most exciting moments across the US, UK and Germany in 2022.

In the US, our annual luncheon hosted by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien marked our first in-person event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the UK, we hosted our annual #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale attended by over 1,200 guests.

In Germany we hosted a two-week pop-up shop and #SheInspiresMe dinner with co-speakers Julia Leeb and Bianca Lang-Bognar.

#SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale - UK. Credit: Bronac McNeill.
#SheInspireMe dinner - Germany. Credit: Gabriela Alatorre.
2022 Luncheon - US. Credit: Hechler Photographers.
WfWI leadership and The Kite Runner show crew at Broadway - NYC. Credit: WfWI.
#SheInspiresMe Lunch - UK. Credit: Bronac McNeill.
#SheInspiresMe Lunch - UK. Credit: Bronac McNeill.
2022 Luncheon - US. Credit: Hechler Photographers.
2022 Honor Roll
Our mission is sustained by the generous support of our donors*. We express sincere gratitude to all of them.
* This is a listing of those who gave over $10,000 in 2022.
  • Bequests
  • Individuals
  • Institutions
  • Marilyn Cohen
  • Nicola Cowley
  • Jacqueline Ann Garrison
  • Elizabeth Anne McDonald
  • Lois Moran
  • Nelda Rankin
  • Nancy Romanoff
  • Micki Turner
  • Mary Louise Walek
  • Virginia Welman
  • Patricia D. Allen
  • Elaine Bayus
  • Henry C. Beck
  • Dale and Max Berger
  • George and Leslie Biddle
  • Katherine Bishop
  • Laura Borst
  • Marilyn Brodie
  • Donna Brown
  • David Castro
  • Laura Cratin
  • Gayle L. Darling
  • Deborah A. David
  • Carol Dornbush
  • Ann Marie Etergino
  • Alfred Farah and Patricia W.
  • Helen J. Foltz
  • Karin Forsblad
  • Diane Froot
  • Evelyn Gaines
  • Deborah Good
  • Kim and Jeffrey Greenberg
  • Deborah Halliday
  • Deborah L. Harmon and Dr. Robert Seder
  • Vaneece Harris
  • Barbara and Amos Hostetter and Bennett Rathbun
  • Mary Ellen Kasdan
  • Jurate Kazickas
  • Saran Kebet-Koulibaly
  • Meg Kiuchi
  • Julie Konigsberg
  • France Leclerc
  • Edith MacGuire
  • Sharon Marcil and Thomas Monahan
  • Jane McGary
  • Nancy Metz
  • Cassandra Newkirk
  • Cathy Newman
  • Margaret M. O'Brien
  • Rita Payne
  • Barbara and Louis Perlmutter
  • Sandra Pike Foundas
  • Gerard Regard
  • Matthew D. Reynolds
  • Olivia Rodrigo
  • Vivian Roeder
  • Charles and Lisa Royals
  • Nancy and Miles Rubin
  • Sheryl Sandberg
  • Margueritte Schleinitz
  • Rachel Schopen
  • Shayna Schulz
  • Elizabeth Shattuck
  • Julie Smith-Bartoloni
  • Delaney Steele Stoval and Shawn Stoval
  • Dawn Sunday
  • Dana Sweet
  • Karin Vargervik
  • Henry Wilmerding
  • Jan Rock Zubrow and Barry Zubrow
  • Gail Zunz
  • 111SKIN
  • Anonymous
  • The American Institutes for Research Equity Initiative
  • The Al Swaidi Family
  • Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust
  • Allen & Overy
  • Alvin I. Brown & Peggy S. Brown Family Charitable Foundation Inc.
  • American Institute for Research
  • American Online Giving Foundation
  • America's Charities
  • Andah Foundation
  • Armanino Foundation
  • The Benevity Community Impact Fund a fund of American Endowment Foundation
  • TheBenevity Community Impact Fund
  • Blackbaud Giving Fund
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies
  • Bop LLC
  • Bowes-Weller Family Foundation
  • Brodsky Family Foundation
  • Caravan Restaurants
  • Cartier Philanthropy
  • Charles Schwab & Co. Inc
  • Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
  • The Chicago Community Trust
  • Community Foundation of Collier County
  • Counihan Family Foundation
  • Cranaleith Foundation
  • Credo
  • De Rigo Vision S.p.A.
  • Diana Saghi Kawkabani
  • Dimagi, Inc.
  • Dropbox Foundation
  • EON Productions Limited
  • Estrid
  • European Union
  • Fidelity Charitable
  • Ford Foundation
  • Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
  • Fresh Leaf Charitable Foundation
  • George Washington University
  • German Foreign Office
  • German Postcode Lottery
  • Global Impact
  • Greenberg Traurig
  • The Harmon Family Foundation
  • Heart's Path Charitable Foundation
  • Home Box Office, Inc.
  • Howard Family Foundation
  • hush
  • InMaat Foundation
  • JFW Foundation
  • The Jimmy Choo Foundation
  • Julius Baer Foundation
  • Kay Family Foundation
  • Keds
  • L'Agence
  • Loeb & Loeb LLP
  • LSESU RAG
  • Mal Warwick Associates
  • The Medlock Family
  • Mint Velvet
  • Monica Vinader
  • Nadjia Yousif & Andrew Browning
  • The Nathan Kirsh Foundation
  • Amanda Erich Hansjürgen Neumayer-Stiftun
  • The Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program at the Chicago Community Foundation
  • OSKIA Skincare
  • Papier
  • PayPal Giving Fund US
  • Pershing LLC
  • Postcode Justice Trust
  • R. Seelaus & Co., Inc.
  • RBC Capital Markets LLC
  • Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc
  • Saul Foundation for Progress Inc.
  • Schwab Charitable
  • Selfridges
  • Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • slip
  • The Spohler Foundation
  • SSG Advisors LLC
  • The Stone Family Foundation
  • Svenska Postkodstiftelsen (The Swedish Postcode Foundation)
  • The Swarovski Foundation
  • T. Rowe Price
  • TD Ameritrade Clearing
  • The Thomas Heritage Foundation
  • Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation
  • UNFCU Foundation
  • The USAID Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable environments (RISE) Challenge
  • USAID-Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and The Global Women's Institute at
  • Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
  • Whole Planet Foundation
  • William E. Simon Foundation
  • Wilstar AS
  • Women on a Mission
  • XTX Markets
Donors Testmonials
“Women for Women International’s work aligns to the mission of the Postcode Justice Trust which aims to improve lives by delivering justice, human rights, and equality. We are delighted that the funds raised by our players, over £2.7 million since 2017, are enabling Women for Women International to provide prompt, proactive and flexible support for marginalised women in the countries where they work.”
Laura Chow,
Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery
“Supporting women to increase their knowledge, competence, and independence, thereby providing more successfully for their families, is my most important charitable goal. I can’t think of a better place to invest than in Women for Women. The women who graduate from their programs receive education that gives them marketable skills, confidence, and a cohort of women who support them in their continued growth. Over time, they quite naturally become leaders in their communities, uplifting the lives of an ever-widening circle of women, men and children.”
Nancy Sproull,
Major Donor
“Growing up in the aftermath of WWII Europe, I realized from an early age how lucky I was to be born in the right place at the right time. I was always aware too that there were others that were not so fortunate, but nothing brought that home as much as hearing the stories of the women enrolled in the Women for Women International program. I am so grateful to be able to make a difference in the life of one sister at a time.”
Patricia Allen,
Major Donor
Global Board of Directors
  • Amjad Atallah
    Co-Founder & Co-Chair Global Board of Directors
  • Delaney Steele
    Co-Chair, Global Board of Directors
  • Faria Abedin
    Global Board Member
  • Rania Atalla
    Global Board Member
  • Dale Berger
    Global Board Member
  • George Biddle
    Chair, Global Programs Committee
  • Kim Bondy
    Global Board Member
  • Leigh Comas
    Global Board Member
  • Deborah A. David
    Global Board Member
  • Alex Duncan
    Co-Chair, UK Trustees
  • Ann Marie Etergino
    Chair, Audit Committee
  • Tony Gambino
    Secretary
  • Jeremi Gorman
    Global Board Member
  • Danuta E. Lockett
    Chair Emeritus
  • Preeti Malkini
    Chair, Germany Board
  • Monique McKenzie
    Global Board Member
  • Anoushka Mehta
    Chair, Revenue & Advancement Committee
  • Rima Salah
    Global Board Member
  • Sheryl Sandberg
    Global Board Member
  • Mary Zients
    Chair Emeritus
  • Jan Rock Zubrow
    Chair, Finance & Compensation Committee
  • .
    .
  • .
    .
Global
Ambassadors
  • Azita Ghanizada​
  • Waad Al-Kateab​
  • Charlotte Tilbury​
  • Sophie Turner​
  • Clarissa Ward​
Program participants during training in South Sudan. Photo by: Charles Atiki Lomodong.
Our 2022 Financials
Program
$19,977,998.1
73%
Management/General
$2,481,871.55
9%
Fundraising
$4,954,315.36
18%
Total Expenses
$27,414,185

Our fundraising model has engaged more than 250,000 supporters, enabling us to reach more than 550,000 participants since our founding. Data shows our programs have lasting impact. The personal nature of our mission - sponsorship and individual donations - mean our fundraising ratio is high. We take this seriously and work with external auditors to ensure our financial practices and costs are ethical and in the best interest of the women we serve.

$23,600,436
Total Assets
$3,766,064
Total Liabilities
$19,834,373
Net Assets
Our Team in Action
Meet Aram Shakerm, our Iraq and Afghanistan Country Director
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Thank You to Our Global
Community of Influencers

We are grateful for celebrities and influencers who advance women’s rights within their platforms. Our mission to support marginalized women as they embrace their power could not be accomplished without their collaboration and commitment.

In 2022, we were also proud to welcome Syrian activist and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab and Afghan American advocate and actress Azita Ghanizada as new global ambassadors, helping us to amplify the voice of the women we serve.