Investing in women & girls has immense potential for positive social change– not just for them, but also for their families and communities. Here are four high impact opportunities for donors to support women & girls in this new year, both in the U.S. and abroad, as featured in our 2015 Year-End Giving Guidance:
- Invest in the health of newborns and mothers abroad
The Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH) has pioneered a cost-effective and innovative Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) program that has been serving vulnerable rural communities in India for over 30 years. SEARCH trains health workers to both educate and provide basic care to mothers and their newborn children. Their program has been shown to decrease newborn deaths by 70% in villages where it is implemented. Read more here.
- Support counseling services for low-income, first time mothers in the U.S.
The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) recognizes that home visitation programs are an important method of increasing access to services for mothers and children in under resourced communities. Registered nurses provide credible and culturally sensitive counseling related to healthy practices, childcare, family planning and employment to mothers. Research has linked these services to a 48% decrease in child abuse and neglect, a 83% increase in labor force participation by the mother, and other positive outcomes. Read more here.
- Help women in extreme poverty achieve social and economic empowerment abroad
Fonkoze’s Chemen Lavi Mayó (CLM) is one of many groups applying the graduation model of economic stability to help Haitian women in extreme poverty build skills and greater confidence. The program provides each member with the materials to construct a 9×9 meter home with a sturdy roof and a latrine; a water filter; and her choice of two activities to begin earning an income, including raising various types of livestock or selling merchandise. Over 3,500 women have “graduated” from CLM’s program since 2006, moving both themselves and their families from ultrapoverty to increased economic security. Read more here.
- Subsidize addiction treatment programs that serve both women and their children
Meta House, a treatment center based in Wisconsin, seeks to assist women recovering from substance use disorders by providing residential treatment programs and comprehensive services for both mothers and their children. With their family-focused approach to recovery, Meta House has seen more than double the national average for treatment retention for clients who stay past the first two weeks of treatment. Three months of specialized treatment for a mother, newborn and additional young child can be subsidized for only $6,750. Read more here.
To read more about each of these organizations, see our 2015 Year-End Giving Guidance.
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