Studies have shown that when women are successful, they invest beyond themselves, in their children, and in their communities. Friendship Bridge is an organization that helps women do just that. Their mission is to empower women and eliminate poverty. They focus on women specifically in Guatemala and help them to build a better life. They use tools such as microfinance, education and healthcare to create opportunities to help these women. They call this process the “Microcredit Plus,” where products and services are provided based on each person’s level of individual development.
In Guatemala, about 59% of the population lives in poverty, 60% of the women are illiterate, and 50% of children suffer from malnutrition. Friendship Bridge believes that investing in women is need from both a social and economic perspective.
It is very easy for us to go on with our day to day lives and forget how much others are struggling across the world. Luckily, Friendship Bridge offers many ways to get involved. The first thing you could do to help is to donate. Friendship Bridge is a non-profit organization that strongly relies on help from donors. Donations would help support the microcredit system and education. The organization also has different branches called friendship circles where groups come together to spread to word, host social gatherings, and organize fundraisers. Raising awareness is so important when it comes to these organizations. Lastly, you could even take a trip to Guatemala to volunteer or even apply for a job/internship with the organization.
Visit their website to find out more about how you can help!