Throughout history, women have played an active, indispensable role in global and local struggles for liberation, fairness and equality that often falls by the wayside. Women’s Month is an opportunity to pay tribute to our own female freedom fighters, who stand on the frontline not only for their own gender but for any and all mistreated persons.
International charity fundraising platform GivenGain is recognising and supporting the women making a difference in our lives and communities this month, and here’s how you can too!
Discover women’s fight for equality
Educating yourself on women’s issues in general is an excellent way to honour the history behind this month. There are countless feminist articles, books, podcasts, TED Talks and more to immerse yourself in – supporting female innovators and content creators at the same time.
As far as the women’s movement has brought us, there is still work to be done. Follow in the footsteps of Lilian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph and Sophia Williams-de Bruyn and join female activists in their fight for equality and justice, particularly against gender-based violence (GBV).
According to the Africa Health Organisation, 51% of women in South Africa say they’ve experienced GBV. Whether you repost a political hashtag, sign a petition, fundraise for a shelter, protest in person or all of the above, you can challenge the normalisation of violence and protect your mother, sisters, and neighbours.
Honour the great women in your life
Actions speak louder than words, but the right words can have an equally meaningful impact. Every woman wants her hard work around the house or in the office to be appreciated. Throughout Women’s Month, make sure the ladies you know hear a heartfelt “thank you” for all they have done for their peers, loved ones and communities. There’s also no harm in gifting them a little treat!
Support women’s activism
Another way to give back to women is by donating time or money to women’s causes. GivenGain makes it incredibly easy to start a fundraiser on behalf of a women-centric charity or organisation! The average fundraiser on GivenGain collects 20 times more for charity than the average donor donates, so it’s a powerful way to make a difference. There are over 600 registered South African charities on the GivenGain platform that focus on various women’s causes – simply view the list here and zoom in on the map to find a charity in your area to support.
If you aren’t ready to fundraise, you can instead help women support their favourite charities. A shining example is Galiema Harris, who raised R46 800 for ILoveBoobies ZA NPC’s early breast cancer detection screenings.
Just recently 9-year-old Mackenzie Knott completed her second 13 Peaks adventure to raise R6 785 worth to buy milk for three orphaned rhinos under the care of Rhino Connect NPO.
Meanwhile, Rosey and Kirsten will be running a 24-hour relay from Johannesburg to Cape Town as part of MAD2Run 2022 and have already raised 23% of their goal! Help them provide underprivileged scholars with access to education here.
“At GivenGain we’re proud to empower so many women and girls to make a difference fundraising for the causes they care about,” says Jannie Smith, Regional Manager: Sub-Saharan Africa at GivenGain. “So much of the charity sector in South Africa relies on women’s contribution as volunteers, fundraisers and donors. Let’s take the time to recognise and celebrate that during this Women’s Month – and throughout the rest of the year.”
Women in South Africa stand together to fight discrimination, and GivenGain will use Women’s Month to return the favour. GivenGain is proud to host such an upstanding group of fundraisers, and you can join them by creating your own online fundraising project in less than five minutes.
