Empower 13 Women NOW to Start their Own Business!

Help us raise $5K by 9/11 to pay tuition for 8 low-income, immigrant and refugee women ready to launch their own small business.

Dear Empowered Women Friend,

A few weeks ago EWI interviewed Nadine as a potential candidate for our Entrepreneur Training for Success. Nadine is an African-born doctor and artist, who needs help to launch her own women's clothing line.

"I am a doctor by training," Nadine tells me. "While in the US, I was dismissed from a program that claimed I could not speak or write English because it is not my first language. They also believed I had a learning disability, mental disease and abused drugs. These accusations are completely false; however, as a result of this, I lost my job and could not be licensed anywhere. From earning a six-digit salary I've become a homeless and lived in a shelter with my 2 children. But, I have learned to choose hope, faith and love in the midst of my struggles, and that's why I am here."

Nadine creates stunning designs with African fabrics. She wants to complete the Entrepreneur Training for Success Fall Semester 2011 to launch her couture design company, and to learn how to market women's clothing, jewelry and accessories.

But her business is more than fashion design. It's about creating jobs for impoverished African women, who will sew her clothing, and for women in the United States, who will work with her to market the designs.

Educated as a doctor in her native country of Zambia but unable to secure employment in the United States, Nadine earns less than $10,000/year, and she cannot pay the course tuition for the 3-month entrepreneurship training and mentoring program.

Eight of the 13 women selected to attend the Entrepreneur Training for Success Fall Semester 2011 are struggling with domestic violence, financial crisis and unemployment, and are unable to pay tuition for this program.

The tuition fee is $36.27/hour per student or $1,850/for the full 3-month training and mentoring program.

Graduates launch their business at the graduation reception and business showcase. After completion of the program, each woman has the opportunity to market and sell her goods and services through EWI's Micro-Enterprise Program to build a market for her products and to generate income.

If you attended one of our graduation receptions, you know the transformative power our program has on each of the women students.

You know that every single woman in this program graduates not only with a ready-to-go business, but also with confidence, strong leadership and business skills, and a powerful network of support to take charge of her own destiny.

Will you help us give the gift of empowerment and self-sufficiency to a deserving woman like Nadine?

EWI has secured funding from generous foundations to cover a portion of the program's costs, but we urgently must raise $5,000 by Sept 11, 2011 to complete enrollment for all 13 selected women, and to launch the fall semester of the Entrepreneur Training for Success.

A group of amazing women, members of the Womenade Circle have teamed up with EWI to match everyone's gift up to $1,200.

Please make a tax-deductible gift now at any level you can afford to help us meet the time-sensitive match, and reach our goal of $5,000 by Sept 11.

Thank you for your continued support. By working together, we're empowering women to unleash their creative potential and become contributors to our economy and to the world.

Onward and Upward,

Marga C. Fripp

EWI Founder and President

Updates and Donor Comments

‹ Newer ‹ Newer 1 - 5 of 14 Older › Older ›

Jacqueline Kennedy 09/13/2011 at 04:54 PM ET
I am pleased to donate to EWI you continue to amaze me with your major accomplishments in empowering women.
Kudzai Gombakomba 09/12/2011 at 08:04 PM ET
May God richly bless EWI for the more than good work that they are diong.
Martha Johns 09/12/2011 at 09:50 AM ET
Be true to yourself and honor your internal creativity - and then pay it forward!
Marga Fripp 09/10/2011 at 10:18 AM ET
Thank you very much to all of you, EMPOWERED WOMEN, who are changing women's lives and our future. It’s such an honor to be working with you!
Kumud Sengupta 09/10/2011 at 04:45 AM ET
Inspiring work, Marga. All the best to these women and their success
Kudzai Gombakomba 09/09/2011 at 07:38 PM ET
The past cannot see the present,there is nothing you can do about the past BUT there is a lot you can do about the present so be courageous and soldier on never give up.God bless you all
Joanne Simeon 09/08/2011 at 11:44 PM ET
I wish Nadine and all the other women much success in their new businesses. I admire their determination and positive attitudes. I'm glad that Empowered Women exists to help them achieve their goals!
Deborah Blank 09/08/2011 at 06:45 PM ET
The women in this program have guts and gumption well beyond those of us born into more priveleged circumstances. My dear mother always said, "There but for the grace of God go I."
Peggy Seufert 09/08/2011 at 04:55 PM ET
Someone once shared an expression that has stayed with me for decades -- "If you want ideas, talk to a man. If you want something done, talk to a woman." So today I want to express how important it is to support talented women who will benefit from some training and a supportive network. I trust they will take off and get many things done. THANKS EWI!
Diana A Katz 09/08/2011 at 03:05 PM ET
This is a wonderful and now proven program that actuall creates jobs too! Worth every penny!
Katherine C. Stevenson 09/08/2011 at 02:41 PM ET
EWI provides incredible opportunity and empowers women with business skills to take charge of their lives and go for their dreams!
Katherine C. Stevenson 09/08/2011 at 02:40 PM ET
EWI provides incredible opportunity and empowers women with the skill to
Eileen Kessler 09/08/2011 at 02:07 PM ET
This is a wonderful program that will make a difference for women, families and communities!
Dianne Lorenz 09/08/2011 at 01:45 PM ET
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it - Goethe

This Organization's Projects

Organization Information

Name

EMPOWERED WOMEN INTERNATIONAL INC
Address

320 S. Henry St.
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314
EIN

320066071
Web

http://www.ewint.org

Summary

Celebrate EWI's 10th Anniversary this year by Making a Donation to Empower ONE Talented Woman to Start a Business and Rebuild her Life!
Reports
- Guidestar

Make a Donation

$4,853 raised

of $5,000

Choose a suggested amount below, or give whatever you want.

$ 36 Give one-hour of business start-up training and one-on-one mentoring for a woman student in the 3-month Entrepreneur Training for Success.
$ 180 Provide 5 hours of business start-up training and one-on-one mentoring for a woman student in the 3-month Entrepreneur Training for Success.
$ 360 Sponsor 10 hours of business start-up training and personalized mentoring for a woman student in the 3-month Entrepreneur Training for Success.
$ 1,000 Provide half of the 3-month training tuition for a woman entrepreneur (28 hours of business start-up training and one-on-one mentoring services).
$ 1,850 Sponsor the full 3-month training and mentoring tuition for a low-income, immigrant or refugee woman entrepreneur to launch her business (51 hours of business start-up training and one-on-one mentoring services).
$ min $10