Investing in Girls by Empowering Their Mothers: Why International Day of the Girl Matters

Every October 11th, we celebrate International Day of the Girl, a day to recognize the unique challenges girls face worldwide and to recommit ourselves to creating a more equitable future. But there's something that often goes unsaid: One of the most powerful ways to transform a girl's life is by empowering her mother.

In rural Kenya, mothers are the backbone of their families and communities. Yet they face seemingly impossible choices every single day. Should they spend precious shillings on kerosene for light so their children can study at night or save that money for school fees? Should they walk six hours to collect water or use that time to try to earn an income? These aren't simply logistical questions. They're decisions that directly impact whether girls can attend school, stay healthy, and hopefully break the cycle of poverty.

This is where Zawadisha's microlending program makes a profound difference. By providing rural Kenyan women with access to essential household items like solar lamps, rainwater tanks, clean cookstoves, and iron sheets through flexible payment plans, Zawadisha removes the barriers that keep generations of girls trapped in poverty.

The ripple effects are transformative. When a mother receives a solar lamp, money that would have been spent on expensive and toxic kerosene can now go toward school fees. When she gets a rainwater tank, she reclaims nearly six hours each day previously spent walking to collect water, time she can now invest in income-generating activities, like weaving baskets. 

Women tell us that because of Zawadisha, they no longer need to search for water thanks to their water tank, and their solar light gives them more time at night to weave baskets to sell and supplement her income. 

This matters immensely for girls. When mothers have resources and time, daughters are more likely to stay in school. When homes are lit with solar lamps instead of dim kerosene, girls can study safely. When mothers model leadership and financial independence, daughters learn what's possible for their own futures.

On this International Day of the Girl, let's remember that investing in women is investing in girls. Zawadisha intrinsically understands this—our name means "to give a gift" in Swahili. Through our marketplace of handcrafted African goods, with 100% of proceeds funding their microlending program, we're giving the gift of possibility to thousands of Kenyan mothers and, in turn, to their daughters.

Because when we empower mothers with the resources they need to thrive, we don't just change one woman's life. We transform entire families, communities, and future generations of girls who will know that they, too, can lead, create, and succeed.