More about Program Funding
More information on:
Program Funding
One woman networked with millions of women, in a larger world of support, can transform whole economies and regions.
2009 Grantees
Our first private funding grants represent diverse regions of the world with large Muslim populations and provide the means for a range of support for women seeking justice under the protection of law, opportunity in the workplace in order to support their families, and training so that they may fulfill their leadership potential.
Pictured from left to right: USAID/Pakistan Mission Director Anne Aarnes, President of the Kashf Foundation Roshaneh Zafar, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Jacob J. Lew, and U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson
Kashf Foundation (Pakistan):
Kashf is a local micro lending institution that lends exclusively to women. Inspired by the success of the Grameen Bank, Kashf, which means miracle or revelation, began in 1996 and today is the second largest micro lender in Pakistan, serving over 260,000 clients from urban and peri-urban areas of Punjab and Sindh. With a OWI grant, Kashf will launch a rural microfinance program focused on farming support which will allow rural women to become self-sustaining and financially independent. Kashf strives to reach one million clients by 2010.
Women in India celebrate the OWI grant for the GUARD Foundation
Group for Urban and Rural Development (GUARD-India):
GUARD falls under the Muslim Women’s Initiative, supported by USAID/India, which works with five grassroots NGOs to disseminate information on Muslim women’s rights under the Quran and the Indian Constitution in two states of India. Because the program has targeted women, men, and youth, these efforts have gained broad-based support within the Muslim community, including support from religious leaders. Based in Karnataka, GUARD implements their program through its 700 self-help groups, out of which 566 groups are exclusively women groups. With a grant from OWI, GUARD will develop an economic enhancement activity to help further empower Muslim women. Activities will include building the capacity of women’s groups to provide entrepreneurship training and linking women’s groups to available support agencies and government programs for economic development.
In honor of International Women's Day, USAID and the Egyptian Organization for Human and Environmental Development (EAHED) hosted an event to announce the One Woman Initiative (OWI) to Egypt on March 5, 2009 in Qalyoubia governorate. The keynote speakers were the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey and the Qalyoubia Governor. USAID was represented by Latanya Mapp-Frett, Program Office Director and Manal Alfred, Communications Specialist.
The Egyptian Association for Human and Environmental Development (EAHED) — (Egypt):
Based in El-Kanater El-Khairiya in Qalubiya Governorate, EAHED promotes women’s participation in the political and electoral process. With a grant from OWI, EAHED’s Justice Initiative project will provide leadership training for more than 100 women, conduct an awareness campaign on women’s constitutional rights, and assist women in obtaining ID and election cards.
Magbassa Kita Foundation, Inc. (Philippines):
MKFI focuses on conflict prevention in Sulu, Mindanao through skills training, workshops and networking in the areas of conflict management and peace building. Of particular interest is MKFI’s approach to empower women as peace advocates and to increase their acceptance as conflict mediators in a largely male-dominated culture. Building on the success of its Muslim Women Peace Advocates Project, MKFI proposes to develop and strengthen a network of women’s peace organizations. This activity would strengthen sustained collaboration between women’s peace building networks, provide a forum for the sharing of experiences between and among women peace advocates in the region, and provide women with additional skills in peacemaking and conflict prevention.
USAID Country Coordinator Scott and U.S. Ambassador Anne E. Derse present OWI award to Women’s Bar Association President Sabina Gahramanova.
Women’s Bar Association (Azerbaijan):
The WBA includes more than 250 women working or studying in the legal profession. The WBA works to increase the professional level of Azerbaijan’s female lawyers, educate women throughout the country about their rights, and to promote solidarity among Azeri women. With a grant from OWI, the WBA Women-For-Women Legal Support Project will train more than 400 women in four provinces on issues related to women’s rights, including domestic violence, trafficking of women, early marriage and gender equality. In addition, WBA will develop educational pamphlets and will provide approximately 200 women with free legal advice.