This Giving Tuesday, Chinti & Parker is donating 25% of all full price sales from the day to Women for Women International. A cause close to our hearts, we first joined forces with the charity in 2018 to create a range of sweaters and t-shirts which celebrated female empowerment. Find out more about Women for Women International’s amazing work, and be inspired to get shopping next Tuesday 3rd December.
About Women for Women International
When there is an outbreak of war or violence, women suffer most – they experience trauma, sexual violence and the death of loved ones. After the conflict is over, the world’s attention moves on, but women are left to rebuild their families and communities. Since 1993, the charity has helped over half a million marginalised women survivors of war in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Sudan.
With over fifty brutal armed conflicts across the globe, there’s never been a greater need to support women survivors of war. With your help, women can graduate from the Women for Women International programme with the skills, knowledge and resources to become successful entrepreneurs. They will pass on their knowledge to their neighbours and children, creating a ripple effect.
So, mark your calendars for Tuesday 3rd December and know that when you shop, 25% of your spend will be going to this incredible cause. #GivingTuesday
My uncle was very abusive. He never let me see anyone or talk to my neighbours. I was excluded from family celebrations, and often heard the neighbours gossiping about me.
I grew ashamed of myself and often wondered “Why did all this happen to me? Why did they give me away to this family? Only to resolve a conflict?” These questions still remain.
When I was 15, it was time to consummate the marriage. We had a small celebration, but my family did not attend. I liked my husband. I grew up with him and he was always kind to me. I got pregnant shortly after my marriage, and I had a baby girl. My husband, then 18 years old, had to join the army. Soon after I received a message that he had been killed.
I felt I had no one to help me out, so I decided to commit suicide. I tried it twice and I failed twice. After this, I went to the hospital for my depression. The doctor told me, “You don’t need any medication. When you remember your past, it hurts you. So you need somewhere to go and sit with women, with different kinds of women, so you can see how they are dealing with their problems and how they are dealing with the challenges that they face.”
One of my friends told me about Women for Women International. When I joined, I found myself in a group of 25 women.
After I graduated I found a job in embroidery and handicraft. I was always thinking about how I could build my own business. Eventually I decided to take a micro-loan of $500. From there I started selling my embroidered products and my business grew quickly.
One day I know I will have a huge business in Afghanistan. I only wish to see peace in my country and expand my business more and more. For now, I am so happy that I am providing employment to 120 women, women who once suffered a lot. It’s not only women that I hire. I also have men as employees and helping us with the sales.
For reasons of security and privacy, we are using a photo of a different Women for Women International graduate to represent the woman in the story.
Find out more at womenforwomen.org.uk
or follow @WomenforWomenUK on social media.