Reach One, Teach One

March 8th marked International Women's Day. Here, in the US, the entire month of March is designated to women's history. In his presidential proclamation, President Obama said, "To win the future, we must equip the young women of today with the knowledge, skills, and equal access to reach for the promise of tomorrow." While women have come a long way in their fight for equality, we still have a long way to go, not just here is the United States but around the world.

In my research on this topic I found that women make up the majority of the world's poverty. Statistics indicate that women are more likely than men to be poor because of the systematic discrimination they face in education, health care, and employment. Many women don't have access to basics such as clean drinking water and sanitation. Also, being poor can mean women are vulnerable, having little protection from violence.

The slogan that comes to mind is "Think Global, Act Local." There are numerous organizations that help women both here and abroad. I encourage you to find a way to help. Start with your church or maybe a local organization in your city. While its great to recognize March as International Women's month, women are in need 24/7, 365. We can all do something!

Together we thrive,

Jacqueline