This summer, I was given the opportunity to work with Vital Voices Global Partnershipas a Monitoring and Evaluation Intern on the Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurshipteam. The organization, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, was created by former First Lady Hillary Clinton and former Secretary for State Madeleine Albright following the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing, to promote the advancement of women as a U.S. Foreign policy goal. Today, the mission is to, “identify, invest in and bring visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities.”
Vital Voices offers a number of programs which includes a program for Human Rights, where they invest in women leaders who strengthen legal frameworks, provide services to victims and change attitudes about gender-based violence. The organization also offers a Global Leadership & Mentoring program, where they offer training and mentoring to emerging women leaders around the world. This summer, I was given the opportunity to work with the Economic Empowerment team where they partner with women leaders who use business growth as a means to improve their community and the world. Roughly sixty women go through a year-business accelerator which guides them on how to improve their businesses, how to increase their network and encourages confidence as a business leader. Not only was I able to work with incredible women who dedicate their lives to this mission and was part of the behind the scenes of a women’s empowerment organization, but I was also able to see how the work that was being done was not only affecting the lives of women around the world, but changing societies and economies around the world. Empowering women can change the world in ways that can benefit everyone and Vital Voices is an organization that has dedicated its work to effect this change needed in the world. If further interested, check out the Vital Voices website at https://www.vitalvoices.org/ .