Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. That means it’s time to rally behind women fighting for basic human rights … to rally behind women fighting for survival.
All around the globe, women living in poverty are in desperate need of help and hope. They need someone like YOU to step in and help them rise above their current circumstances.
Poverty and other hardships affect men and women of all ages, but it’s no secret that throughout history, women have faced a unique set of challenges — many of which continue today.
Here’s a glimpse into some of the issues these women face on a daily basis:
Life as a refugee
Living in a war zone takes a vicious toll on men, women, and children … but did you know that most refugees are actually women and children?
You can provide physical and spiritual aid to refugees like Elena
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over a year ago, most men were required to serve in the military rather than leave the country with their families.
Separated from their husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons, women needed to make a difficult decision. Would they stay in Ukraine or flee to a neighboring country alone?
Millions of women have been forced to make this heart-wrenching decision. Our partner said that 80% of refugees from Ukraine are women and children. Some women have fled with their children, but others had no choice but to make the journey alone.
Now, these women are alone in a new country. They worry about their family members left behind in Ukraine … all while trying to take care of their children without any support.
In Afghanistan, women’s rights are constantly under attack. Women must cover their faces in public, are forbidden from traveling long distances without a male chaperone, and are increasingly being denied opportunities to work or go to school. But that’s just the beginning.
Many Afghan families have started taking desperate measures to survive — including selling their young daughters into early marriages. Some of these girls are as young as 8 years old when their futures are decided for them.
The dangers of collecting water
Running water in our homes is a luxury we often take for granted. When we want something to drink, it’s easy to walk into the kitchen and pour a glass of water. We don’t worry about our water source being contaminated or unsafe to drink.
But in countries like Guatemala, Nepal, Uganda, and more, the closest water source could be miles away … and it’s usually a woman’s responsibility to bring home water for cooking, cleaning, and drinking.
When a community has access to clean water, new businesses can begin to thrive!
In Tanzania, women in one community wake up at 3:00 am to fetch water. It’s a long, dangerous trek beyond their border to a small, dirty river. They spend hours fetching water that isn’t even safe. Sometimes, children — mostly girls — are even taken out of school to help retrieve water for their families.
Each day, these women must be vigilant of the wildlife roaming the area. But that’s not the only threat they face … when it’s dark, the risk of sexual violence skyrockets.
Working in the sex industry
In Thailand and India, women are usually expected to provide for their families.
Unfortunately, their parents often can’t afford to give their daughters an education … limiting the job opportunities available to them. In Thailand, girls from impoverished families are lured to cities like Bangkok and Pattaya by lucrative career opportunities. Only when they arrive do they realize what that career opportunity actually is.
In the Banchara community in India, over 900 girls are working in the sex industry. Each one of these women receives up to 12 customers a day. This is because of a horrific tradition called nari mata, which forces the oldest girl in a family to become a sex worker to support her male family members.
Even women like Zoya, who want a better life for their daughters, feel forced to groom them for the sex industry.
Zoya herself was a sex worker for 45 years — and she never wanted that life for her daughters. But when all three of her sons were diagnosed with cancer, she felt she had no choice.
She could only afford to pay for their medical treatment by putting her daughters in the sex industry … continuing the tradition of nari mata for yet another generation.
Living without hygiene products
Feminine hygiene is an important topic that’s often ignored or forgotten, especially in impoverished communities. Women learn not to talk about their menstrual cycles at a young age, leaving them to feel ashamed and unclean.
Young girls in India are learning how to care for their bodies through the generosity of people like you
No one teaches them how to care for their bodies … and they often don’t have the feminine hygiene products needed to stay healthy. It’s not uncommon for girls to miss several days of school or work every month simply because they don’t have access to feminine hygiene products.
One of our partners in Nicaragua said this is actually one of their greatest needs. “I wish we could have a complete container for women and be able to bless many women in this country who need so much help,” he said.
These are just a few of the challenges women in need are facing. But you have the power to make a difference in their lives — and what better day to do so than International Women’s Day?
For just $12, you can provide essentials like food, clothing, clean water, hygiene products, God’s Word, and more to someone struggling to survive.
But it gets better!
When you give before March 31, your gift will DOUBLE thanks to a $150,000 matching gift. That means for a limited time, just $12 will actually help impact TWO lives instead of one!
Please, give your best gift today to demonstrate the love of Christ to twice as many women worldwide.