The theme of this year's International Women's Day is #AccelerateAction and this year, we celebrate the incredible women leaders at Opportunity International. From CEOs and Directors to those spearheading our refugee initiatives, we are fortunate to have bold, intelligent, and empathetic women guiding our organisation. 

Below, Sally shares her reflections on International Women's Day and how as an organisation we can #AccelerateAction for women:

What does International Women's Day mean to you? 

International Women's Day (IWD) represents empowerment, inclusion, and economic independence for women. For the last fifty years, microfinance has been a powerful tool in closing gender gaps by providing women—especially those in underserved communities—access to financial resources, entrepreneurship opportunities, and pathways to self-sufficiency. Women reinvest up to 90% of their income into their families and communities, making their financial empowerment a catalyst for broader social and economic growth.

It’s also a call to action for more gender-responsive policies, fairer lending practices, and increased investment in women-led enterprises. Microfinance institutions play a crucial role in shaping a world where women have equal financial opportunities and control over their economic futures.

Thinking about inspiring people who empower women, who inspires you and why?

I am inspired by Opportunity’s clients who use their new-founds skills, confidence, and influence to empower other women in their communities. An example that comes to mind is Sephora, a young refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, living in Nakivale refugee settlement in southwestern Uganda. With the skills she learnt through a business development training programme in the settlement, Sephora has created a range of women’s health products including a cream to relieve menstrual cramps, and reusable sanitary pads. Through her business she is raising awareness about women’s health issues and is supporting adolescent girls to stay in school and continue their studies.  Her plan is to create more jobs for refugee women, especially young mothers. She has become a role model for many refugee women and girls in her community, and encourages them, ‘to be or create what you want to become.’

Read more about Sephora's journey here.  

How are we #AcceleratingAction as an organisation to empower women in Africa?

One of the most powerful ways I have seen Opportunity empower women is by raising up women as leaders and educators in their own communities. Through a peer mentorship programme supported by Jersey Overseas Aid in Malawi, almost 100 successful women entrepreneurs were paired with women at the beginning of their business journey. Each mentor coached three women, providing guidance and support, and sharing practical insights on business management and growth. This helped the mentees to learn new skills and build confidence under the leadership of someone who understood their unique challenges.

In India, Opportunity’s Health Leader programme identifies and equips local women to deliver community-based health education focused on menstrual, maternal and child health, nutrition, and climate resilience, and to facilitate access to health products and specialist services for people in their communities. Health leaders also teach rights-based modules focused on helping women to know their rights and keep themselves safe. The aim is for all women to recognise and respond to gender-based violence within their communities and possess the confidence to participate in household decisions related to health, financial wellbeing, and safety.

How does your role facilitate empowering women?

I will continue to advocate for gender equitable programmes that recognise the specific barriers and challenges that women face in their communities and seek practical, long-lasting solutions to increase women’s financial inclusion, economic and social empowerment. When shaping our strategies and initiatives, it is important to ensure that women’s voices are heard and that their experiences are acknowledged, whether that be through global board meetings, local partners, farmer cooperatives or village savings and loan groups. I believe that we will be more effective in initiating positive change for women through the active participation of women at all levels of the organisation. 

Why is it so important to empower the women in our programmes?

When women are able to access finance and training to grow their businesses, they invest those earnings into their families’ health and education, not only able to feed their children and send them to school they can plan for the future and become more resilient to the kind of health, security and climate shocks that come more frequently each year. Through family-based trainings we have seen that when women play an active role in family farming and business activities the whole household benefits not only from better business management, planning, and financial rewards but also from improved family dynamics.

What changes do you see to communities after a woman has been given the skills and training?

When a woman gains skills and training, the positive impact extends far beyond her own success—it transforms entire families, communities, and economies, creating jobs for other women and boosting local economies . Women with leadership and business skills become role models and mentors in their communities. More children, especially girls, stay in school increasing their chances of success and breaking cycles of poverty. Women reinvest in community infrastructure, from better housing to clean water initiatives

Empowering one woman ripples out to an entire community, creating lasting change for generations.

If you are inspired this and want to help us reach more women this International Women's Day, you can donate by clicking here.

Or if you'd like to hear more about the inspiring women we work with, you can sign up to our newsletter by clicking here.