Women and Poverty

According to the Global Poverty Info Bank, women are 50% of the world’s population, yet make up full 70% of the world’s poor. It’s an astonishing figure. Millions of women in less-developed countries live under crushing poverty and discrimination that makes access to basic needs such as healthcare, safe childbirth, education, employment, and participation in their own communities, nearly impossible. This means we must ensure women and girls have a means to overcome inequality and benefit from economic development by addressing the core problems head on.

Women Reinvest More in Their Communities

Providing women the means to run businesses is the path out of poverty for developing nations. Research shows economic growth for women has an extremely important effect. In fact, women reinvest as much as 90% of their income in their families and communities. According to USAID, one in five girls in developing countries who enroll in primary school never finish because when family resources for schooling become scarce, they are reserved for boys.  However, women spend more of their earned income on food, healthcare, and education for themselves and their children, including girls. And when 10% more girls go to school, a country’s GDP increases on average by 3%. If we give women the means to earn a living, they will invest it in their daughters as well, helping nations rise out of poverty.

The Lovin’ Soap Project empowers women with economic opportunity through the microbusiness of artisan soapmaking.