I remember the moment when I knew I wanted to be a part of Prosperity Catalyst’s mission to launch and incubate women-led businesses in distressed parts of the world. It was the unique business model that was focused on not only creating opportunities for vulnerable women to become financially independent but also supporting women to move out of the cycle of poverty and become leaders in their own right.

I had just returned from a 3-week trip to Ethiopia where I spent 7 days at a women’s rehabilitation facility in a small northern village called Nazaret. These women had been through unimaginable trauma, mostly due to the fact they were women of poverty in Ethiopia.

Each woman’s story was devastating, but what stood out most was their incredible resilience and determination to live a better life for themselves and their children. As part of their time at the center, these women were learning the trades of scarf weaving, baking and bakeshop management. It was then that I saw first-hand the difference that financial independence made in the lives of these amazing women. It was a game changer.

I left Ethiopia with a gift from my new African sisters. Their resilience and determination ignited a bright light in my own determination to find ways to create opportunities for vulnerable women to become successful entrepreneurs. Within a few months of my return, unique circumstances led me to be introduced to the Prosperity Catalyst model. There was an immediate excitement and connection that I could not ignore. Prosperity Catalyst’s goal was not only to support the launch of women led businesses but also to help build and then exit successful women-run businesses.

WOW, I thought. Having just returned from Ethiopia, and having seen the benefit of women learning a trade and having a job, I saw that this model was about not only income but also connecting women with limited resources to the world economy. I immediately signed on as an investor of Prosperity Candle, our sister company. Several years later, Prosperity Catalyst was born as the nonprofit arm, and I became the Founding Board Chair and one of our first Catalyzers.

Our Catalyzers are a community of visionary leaders using their voices, creativity and resources to create sustainable opportunity for women. They believe that women worldwide should have the opportunity and support to create better lives for themselves, their families and their community. With an annual gift of $5,000 or more, they are helping Prosperity Catalyst lead the way for women’s empowerment and grow its community of like-minded leaders. I was thrilled to join a community that included incredible entrepreneurs and philanthropists, who were providing both needed funding and invaluable advice and connections to this young enterprise.

At Prosperity Catalyst, we see these businesses, led by local women, as vehicles to create greater, long-term change for women and their communities. We are still in the early stages of launching local businesses in both Haiti and Iraq and recognize that our approach is unique and requires time and commitment. During this pilot period, our team has made great strides in better understanding and refining our approach to ensure long-term impact and sustainability. We have been blessed with partners, donors and Catalyzers who are as energized, connected and committed to this unique business approach as we are. Most importantly, we have been blessed with the inspiring women developing their own businesses with us in Haiti and Iraq. For this, the entire Prosperity Catalyst Team is deeply grateful.

I am excited to continue advocating for these businesses and to watch them grow and flourish. I hope many others will be similarly inspired to become a Catalyzer and join our community. If you are inspired by my story, click here to donate!

In Light,

Linda
Prosperity Catalyst Board Chair and Catalyzer