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O Magazine: Three things you can do to empower women

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Chelsea Wieber
Topics: Economic Development, Humanitarian Aid, Microfinance, Women
Countries: Afghanistan
Zahria, a 35-year-old mother of five, took out a loan from Afghanistan’s Mercy Corps-supported Ariana Financial Services to begin an almond-selling business. Photo: Miguel Samper/Mercy Corps
Zahria, a 35-year-old mother of five, took out a loan from Afghanistan’s Mercy Corps-supported Ariana Financial Services to begin an almond-selling business. Photo: Miguel Samper/Mercy Corps

Our work to lend to the so-called "unbankable" is noted in September's O Magazine in a bit about Half the Sky. (The "O," of course, stands for Oprah.)

Mercy Corps-sponsored microfinance institutions reach more than 244,000 clients. Many of those are women in Afghanistan, where we founded Ariana Financial Services, a woman-led agency that has lent more than $11 million to 45,000 clients to date — nearly 75 percent of them women.

Mercy Corps is among several other organizations — including Hellen Keller International and American Assistance for Cambodia — mentioned in Half the Sky and noted in the O Magazine list for "Three Things You Can Do To Empower Women."

The article, unfortunately, isn't available online. But you can find it in the September issue of O, which is already at your local grocery-store or bookstore newsstand.

This piece was originally posted on One Table.

Bookmark/Search this post with:
Keywords: One Table, Ariana Financial Services, O Magazine, Oprah, Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof

Comments

Fri, 08/14/2009 - 23:07 — esther (not verified) in kenya

can we partner

The Bliss Women and Children Center is pleased to invite the mercy corps to become part of a project that is helping hundreds of women and children to survive and improve their lives, in spite of the most difficult circumstances.

www.blissmicrofinance.webs.com

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