“When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 percent for a man.”
-Phil Borges, with foreword by Madeleine Albright, Women Empowered: Inspiring Change in the Emerging World [New York: Rizzoli, 2007], 13.
This reinvestment leads to community-wide benefits known as “The Girl Effect,” which is also the name of a new project aimed at getting a greater slice of the development pie directed to girls. Investing in girls is, according to experts, a powerful way to leverage greater change for lifting communities out of poverty.
I stumbled on this project via a YouTube video that explains The Girl Effect.
According to their web site, “The Girl Effect is rooted in the work of the Nike Foundation, which has been joined by the NoVo Foundation in a shared mission to create opportunities for girls, and for the world.” (The NoVo Foundation is run by Jennifer Buffett, who also Co-Chairs the organization with her husband Peter Buffett, son of Warren. Jennifer is also on the board of the Nike Foundation and other partners in The Girl Effect. She’s clearly playing a strong leadership role in this effort. Love it.)
The web site for the Girl Effect is itself effective at building awareness and a feeling of urgency among readers.
What’s less clear to me is what I can do now. I can make you aware, and I can send money, but don’t you often feel frustrated of wanting to DO something more?
In the short term, you can send all the girls you know to check out The Girl Effect and use its logos and graphics and wallpaper. Show them their power to change the world.
Personally, in the short-term, I’m going to change my IM graphic to the logo below. When I figure out the long-term, I’ll let you know. (Suggestions Welcome)
Tags: Buffett, charity, Girl Effect, girls, international development, Nike Foundation, NoVo Foundation, philanthropy
