End of Year Giving
This season, you can uplift women worldwide.
Together, we’ve changed lives—and our journey isn’t over!
In the past two decades, we have supported over 43,000 empowered women in nine countries, as they work to overcome poverty, support their families, and strengthen their communities.
While we reflect on our incredible journey, we know there is still more to do.
With your help, we can reach our ambitious end-of-year goal and continue making a lasting impact with our grants.
Explore our partner stories, watch inspiring videos below, and see the powerful stats that highlight all we’ve accomplished together. Join us as we close out this milestone year and uplift even more women in San Diego County and around the world!
This season, you can uplift women worldwide.
Together, we’ve changed lives—and our journey isn’t over!
In the past two decades, we have supported over 43,000 empowered women in nine countries, as they work to overcome poverty, support their families, and strengthen their communities.
While we reflect on our incredible journey, we know there is still more to do.
With your help, we can reach our ambitious end-of-year goal and continue making a lasting impact with our grants.
Explore our partner stories, watch inspiring videos, and see the powerful stats that highlight all we’ve accomplished together.
Join us as we close out this milestone year and uplift even more women in San Diego County and around the world!
Our Impact
WE is known for 20 years of proven impact, providing tools and resources for women to overcome poverty through our strategic grantmaking and local and global partnerships. Your donations contribute to grants that create change. One of the things that makes WE unique is our strength in tracking the impact of our grants – and your donations – through the strong, long-term relationships built with our grant partners and the support provided through our skilled volunteers.
With your support, WE grants open doors to economic opportunities and financial stability. Women are gaining financial literacy, becoming significant or primary contributors to their household income, gaining a voice in decision-making, and building sustainable businesses.
Nyaka, Uganda
36 of 240 (57%) of participants in the micro-loan program became the main provider of income for their family; none of these women had previously served in that role.
Nyaka, Uganda
3 of every 4 of the businesses initiated among 240 program participants remained in operation over 12 months.
Adelante, Honduras
Two-thirds (66.6%) of 2,998 women reported that they spoke up most or all of the time when household decisions were being made.
Nyaka, Uganda
240 participants in the micro-loan program reported high confidence on each of 6 financial tasks, demonstrating financial literacy.
IRC, San Diego
Over 80% of small businesses were active for at least 6 months following start-up.
Fonkoze, Haiti
More than half of 76 Community Health Entrepreneurs (CHEs) participated in family decision-making all of the time.
Read more about our impact and the data collected through our Women’s Impact, Sustainability & Empowerment (WISE) Project.
Our Impact
WE is known for 20 years of proven impact, providing tools and resources for women to overcome poverty through our strategic grantmaking and local and global partnerships. Your donations contribute to grants that create change. One of the things that makes WE unique is our strength in tracking the impact of our grants – and your donations – through the strong, long-term relationships built with our grant partners and the support provided through our skilled volunteers.
With your support, WE grants open doors to economic opportunities and financial stability. Women are gaining financial literacy, becoming significant or primary contributors to their household income, gaining a voice in decision-making, and building sustainable businesses.
Nyaka, Uganda
36 of 240 (57%) of participants in the micro-loan program became the main provider of income for their family; none of these women had previously served in that role.
Nyaka, Uganda
Three of every 4 of the businesses initiated among 240 program participants remained in operation over 12 months.
Adelante, Honduras
Two-thirds (66.6%) of 2,998 women reported that they spoke up most or all of the time when household decisions were being made.
Nyaka, Uganda
240 participants in the micro-loan program reported high confidence on each of 6 financial tasks, demonstrating financial literacy.
IRC, San Diego
Over 80% of small businesses were active for at least 6 months following start-up.
Fonkoze, Haiti
More than half of 76 Community Health Entrepreneurs (CHEs) participated in family decision-making all of the time.
Read more about our impact and the data collected through our Women’s Impact, Sustainability & Empowerment (WISE) Project.
Videos From Our Partners
See how your support helps create lasting change for families and communities.
Videos From Our Partners
See how your support helps create lasting change for families and communities.
Hanna’s Story
When Hanna Borysiuk arrived in San Diego from Ukraine, she felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. The war with Russia forced her to leave her homeland, and she arrived in the United States unprepared for the challenges of starting over in a foreign country. Life was confusing as she tried to figure out how to support her family in this new environment.
Hanna’s eldest daughter, understanding the depth of her mother’s skill and passion for sewing, managed to bring Hanna’s beloved Singer sewing machine from Ukraine. Sewing had always been a constant in Hanna’s life; she couldn’t live without it. She had always altered and repaired clothes for her husband, two daughters, and two granddaughters. This act of love sparked a glimmer of hope.
Hanna learned about the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego and enrolled in several programs, including the TVESL driving lessons cohort and the employment capabilities program. Through these programs, she was referred to those funded by WE grants within the IRC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which became essential for her to start, develop, and grow her business. With the support of the IRC SBDC, Hanna completed the Business Women in Action training course. This cohort was designed for newly-arrived Ukrainian women aspiring to start businesses.
Hanna was considering turning her sewing skills into a viable business to support her livelihood in her new country. She describes her business advisor as a compassionate and encouraging counselor who helped her pivot her loving hobby of sewing into an entrepreneurial one. Her advisor has been with her business every step of the way to formalize her business with the City of San Diego, fulfilling her goal to alter and sew clothing for others besides her immediate family members.
Hanna advertised her services to her community and started getting orders for clothing alterations. However, she quickly realized that her single sewing machine wasn’t enough to meet the growing demand. Although Hanna could sell her services, she was not making enough to afford a new sewing machine to meet her customers’ needs. So, she returned to IRC to discuss her problem and strategize with her business advisor, who informed her that she could qualify for a women entrepreneur microgrant to purchase another machine. Hanna was overjoyed with this news. She asked her business advisor about the requirements and wasted no time, diligently working to submit all the required documents. Hanna received a $1,000 microgrant from IRC SBDC, which allowed her to purchase another sewing machine and the necessary supplies.
“When I received my new sewing machine, I was very happy! I could do almost everything that was brought to me for repair and make people happy because I was giving a new life to their favorite things. I am grateful to [IRC and my business advisor] for supporting me in achieving my dreams and giving me the opportunity to make a living in my new country.”
Hanna’s Story
When Hanna Borysiuk arrived in San Diego from Ukraine, she felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. The war with Russia forced her to leave her homeland, and she arrived in the United States unprepared for the challenges of starting over in a foreign country. Life was confusing as she tried to figure out how to support her family in this new environment.
Hanna’s eldest daughter, understanding the depth of her mother’s skill and passion for sewing, managed to bring Hanna’s beloved Singer sewing machine from Ukraine. Sewing had always been a constant in Hanna’s life; she couldn’t live without it. She had always altered and repaired clothes for her husband, two daughters, and two granddaughters. This act of love sparked a glimmer of hope.
Hanna learned about the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego and enrolled in several programs, including the TVESL driving lessons cohort and the employment capabilities program. Through these programs, she was referred to those funded by WE grants within the IRC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which became essential for her to start, develop, and grow her business. With the support of the IRC SBDC, Hanna completed the Business Women in Action training course. This cohort was designed for newly-arrived Ukrainian women aspiring to start businesses.
Hanna was considering turning her sewing skills into a viable business to support her livelihood in her new country. She describes her business advisor as a compassionate and encouraging counselor who helped her pivot her loving hobby of sewing into an entrepreneurial one. Her advisor has been with her business every step of the way to formalize her business with the City of San Diego, fulfilling her goal to alter and sew clothing for others besides her immediate family members.
Hanna advertised her services to her community and started getting orders for clothing alterations. However, she quickly realized that her single sewing machine wasn’t enough to meet the growing demand. Although Hanna could sell her services, she was not making enough to afford a new sewing machine to meet her customers’ needs. So, she returned to IRC to discuss her problem and strategize with her business advisor, who informed her that she could qualify for a women entrepreneur microgrant to purchase another machine. Hanna was overjoyed with this news. She asked her business advisor about the requirements and wasted no time, diligently working to submit all the required documents. Hanna received a $1,000 microgrant from IRC SBDC, which allowed her to purchase another sewing machine and the necessary supplies.
“When I received my new sewing machine, I was very happy! I could do almost everything that was brought to me for repair and make people happy because I was giving a new life to their favorite things. I am grateful to [IRC and my business advisor] for supporting me in achieving my dreams and giving me the opportunity to make a living in my new country.”
Donate Now
Every dollar you give strengthens programs that drive lasting change, empowering resilient women like Hanna – in San Diego and around the world – to overcome poverty and build brighter futures for their families.
Thank you for your support – empowering women, transforming lives, and breaking cycles of poverty.