FINCA Canada collaborated with Centennial College’s corporate communications public relations (CCPR) students to launch an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the importance of financially empowering women, especially those in the developing countries where FINCA works. According to Drew Boshell, FINCA Canada’s Executive Director:

FINCA Canada is committed to advancing economic prosperity for low-income women. We do this by providing them with the means to grow their small businesses, increase their incomes, and save for the future. This is needed more than ever with the world facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with the pandemic causing up to 150 million people to slide into extreme poverty.

This International Women’s Day theme is #ChoosetoChallenge. The #empowHER three-part podcast series, launching Monday, March 8, explores the financial exclusion of women by discussing the gender bias and inequality that hinders women from receiving financial assistance and business opportunities in various markets around the world. The series will also look at the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on these entrepreneurial women further widening the gender poverty gap.

Podcast guests include Drew Boshell and FINCA Canada deputy director Linda Bryson. Additional guests include:

• Nora Jeanne Joseph – founder of Radikal, a social enterprise that sources organic beauty, wellness and environmental products from various women cooperatives in Haiti
• Christine Dikongué – technology project consultant, coordinator of the first and largest virtual Hackathon in Africa: AfricaHacks.

To counter the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on women, FINCA Canada will be launching “The OppHERtunity Campaign” in line with International Women’s Day. The campaign will support 120,000 women  in Haiti and DR Congo to rebuild their businesses and become more financially resilient  when future crises strike.

The Centennial College PR students kicked off the #empowHER awareness campaign on February 23 with an #empowHER challenge on Instagram encouraging people to share stories and images of their favourite women entrepreneurs while tagging others to do the same.

The podcast will be available for listening on SoundCloud  and on www.FINCACanada.org.

 

About Centennial College and the Story Arts Centre

Established in 1966, Centennial College is Ontario’s first public college, primarily serving the eastern portion of the GTA through five campuses. It has a record of exemplary teaching, innovative programming and partnership building. With a full-time enrolment of 22,000 students, Centennial is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Canada. www.centennialcollege.ca

The Story Arts Centre is home to Centennial’s School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design, offering programs such as public relations and corporate communications, advertising, journalism, broadcasting and film, animation, art and design, and performance programs such as music and dance.

 

About FINCA Canada

FINCA Canada is a member of the Global FINCA Network founded in 1984 on a radical notion: giving small loans to the poor has the power to transform entire communities in a sustainable way. After impacting tens of millions of lives with responsible financial services, FINCA is widening their focus to catalyze further economic growth and alleviate poverty in underserved markets around the world.  For more information, visit www.FINCACanada.org.

Follow FINCA Canada for updates on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and on LinkedIn.

 

To arrange an interview or for further information, please contact: Hamzia Bawa-Zeba, Centennial College, [email protected], Tel: 647-721-5592.