International Women’s Day
3/8/2023
International Women’s Day is about celebrating the achievements of women around the world. As a women-led business, we’re incredibly proud of the women we employ and feel inspired by each and every one of them.
To celebrate the women that surround us, we’ve chosen to shine the light on our long-standing partners, The Hunger Project (THP) and the communities of Malawi who continually inspire us in their drive for a better future.
The non-profit organisation is dedicated to empowering communities living in hunger to sustainably break the poverty cycle themselves. Since 2019, we have supported their mission by donating directly and designing five limited-edition sneakers, where $50 for every sneaker sold is donated to THP.
We have raised over $335,630 which has helped the Nsondole community in Malawi reach self-reliance.
This significant milestone couldn’t have happened without Grace Chikowi, a key member of The Hunger Project and dedicated to achieving self-reliance across all of Malawi.
Meet Grace Chikowi
What is your role?
“I am the Country Manager for The Hunger Project, Malawi.”
What is the importance of women in your community?
“The importance of women in achieving the development agenda can not be explained enough. Simply put, no development agenda can be achieved without the involvement of women and girls.
Women are important in driving the development agenda and this can be realised if more women gain access to agricultural input. 60% of working women find a livelihood in agriculture and by closing the gender gap in agricultural productivity, we can increase our GDP by 2.1% and bring about 238,000 people out of poverty.
We can not talk of the self-reliant next generation if we don't keep girls in school. Keeping girls in school will facilitate their potential for paid work which is more than just working as labourers. Investing in girls' education now is critical for a self-reliant Malawi.
The importance of women in our community in driving the economy for sustainable development is really powerful. When women are supported with entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, training and supported with start-up capital (even if it's on credit) for their business, they are likely to invest the proceeds in their children's education, household food and nutrition security and in improving the general livelihood of their community as a whole. The importance of women in agriculture, entrepreneurship and education is key to our community's development and self-reliance!”
Meet The Incredible Women From Malawi
The Hunger Project wouldn’t be the same without the support of women in their communities. We want to celebrate the courage and dedication of women in Malawi and the impact they’ve made on their future.
Get to know the incredible women behind The Hunger Project and their role within their community.
Meet Ellen Doritch
Ellen is a wife, mother, homeowner and entrepreneur from Malawi. She owns three businesses (livestock, a vegetable business and sells porridge at the local market).
Ellen and her husband did hard labour for years carrying bricks on their heads to make ends meet. The money was never enough. One day through The Hunger Project, Ellen got the chance to take out a microfinance loan and started her own business. Ellen now owns two houses, cattle, goats, furniture and a motorbike.
"In our household, we live well... we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. I feel proud! My family will have food to eat for the rest of our lives! - Ellen
Meet Monica Milanzi
Monica is a mother and leader in her community. She is the community treasurer for the Microfinance bank in the Nsondole Epicentre. Monica is responsible for the distribution of microloans in the community to enable people to earn an income, support their families and lift themselves out of hunger.
Meet Ethel Butao
Ethel is the Vice Chairperson of the Nchalo Epicentre, Malawi. She is a farmer and grows maize, peas and cassava. Before she participated in training by The Hunger Project, Ethel was completely dependent on her husband to support her family. She was not aware of her rights and was unaware of how to keep her family safe from various diseases.
After receiving training from The Hunger Project, Ethel has become aware of her rights, she has also changed her mindset and is now committed to her successful farming business. She also started her own shop to earn further income and support her family!
She is a symbol of strength and resilience and what is possible when women are empowered to reach their full potential in society.
Show Your Support
International Women’s Day highlights how important it is to support women but it shouldn’t be limited to one day. Help empower women living in poverty by donating directly to The Hunger Project Australia or if you’re in the mood for new shoes, show your support for The Hunger Project by shopping our THP collection.