I received products from Coca-Cola’s 5by20 program; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Happy International Women’s Day! It’s a day to celebrate what women are doing all over the world and I love the program I’m going to tell you about today: the Coca-Cola 5by20 initiative! The program combines my passion for other nations and countries, my desire to see women everywhere flourish, and my love of upcycled projects!
Launched in 2010, the 5by20 initiative has the goal of empowering five million women entrepeneurs by 2020. These women are creating beautiful upcycled projects from items that are often discarded, like Coca-Cola labels and pull tabs.
The program offers women access to training, financial services, and peer-to-peer training in attempt to address some of the barriers that prevent women from succeeding in the marketplace. It’s a program that’s providing help at the ground level, aiding and training women to become artisans. It gives a hand-up, not a hand-out, and provides access to resources, skills, and opportunities.
I know how much I love that I’m able to earn an income from the creativity I share on this blog and I love that creative opportunities are opening up for women across the world as well, allowing them to use their talents to provide for those they love.
When women rise in their communities, the communities also rise to new heights of prosperity and health. Studies have repeatedly found a correlation between women’s empowerment and GDP growth, business growth, environmental sustainability, and improved human health.
Maybe that’s due to the fact that studies show that women are likely to reinvest 90% of their income in food, education, and healthcare for their children and families.
Investing in the 5by20 initiative means you’re investing in the education and success of women, improving the economy, and making the community stronger and more sustainable. People everywhere deserve that opportunity!
Right now there are 5by20 programs enabling women in more than 60 countries and at the end of 2015, there were 1.2 million women impacted through the initiative. I get goosebumps thinking about the ripple effect of that impact on families, schools, communities, and countries.
One of those women is Jocelyn from the Phillippines, one of the many entrepeneurs who has been positively affected by this initiative and is now able to support her family with the income she makes.
Check out more of the talented artisans in this video: Meet the Artisans and then support the 5by20 initiative by purchasing items. Together we can change the world!
Great cause for those women. Love how the Coca-Cola project turned
Lots of cool items! Great cause for women all over the world.
I too have goosebumps right now. What an incredibly special initiative and the crafts are stunning!!!! Thank you so very much for introducing me to the 5by20 initiative Randi. I’m going to follow up here in South Africa to see where they are and how we can get actively involved as an organization.