International Women's Day is March 8. What will you do to celebrate women and encourage the importance of economic empowerment? 

Facts about Poverty and Women 

Remember that extreme poverty is a reality for over 1.2 billion people today. And that women make up the majority of those around the world who are living in extreme poverty. In addition to being more vulnerable to violence, they face legal and cultural inequities and are often excluded from the formal economy. 

But that doesn't have to be how the story ends, many women living in poverty are also entrepreneurs who have plans for themselves, their families and their communities. With the right access to transformational training, and critical financial products such as savings, loans and insurance, Opportunity International helps empower these women to build financial security and create stability for their families, often for the first time in their lives. This in turn helps speed up the development of local economies and create more equitable and secure societies and nations

Share Betty's story for #IWD2014 

Here is a simple way to help us inspire change and make a positive impact on women and communities around the world. Listen to the inspirational story of Betty, a client who has used Opportunity’s loans and financial services to expand her business and ultimately transform her life and the lives of her family members, and then share the video with just one friend.