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What we can all do on International Women’s Day!

I received products from Coca-Cola’s 5by20 program; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

coke handmade international womens day

Happy International Women’s Day!

Imagine wanting to earn an income but having no access to the resources, skills, or opportunities that could allow you to provide for yourself or your family. Unfortunately, this is a reality that many women around the world are struggling to overcome every day. They need a hand-up, not a hand-out to lift themselves up out of poverty. That’s why today we want to celebrate a program that is committed to providing access to training, financial services, and peer-to-peer mentoring for women’s businesses across the globe!

They need a hand-up, not a hand-out

What is Coca-Cola’s 5by20 initiative

We want to shine a light on Coca-Cola’s 5by20 initiative and the work they continue to do to improve the lives of women until they’ve helped 5 million women by 2020. There are 5by20 programs enabling women in more than 60 countries around the world!

Empowering women artisans in developing nations is a major component of 5by20! These women create beautiful products from upcycled packaging, like Coca-Cola labels and pull tabs which are often discarded as waste, and in turn, elevate themselves, their families, and their communities.

international womens day

international womens day

Acacia Creations Can Giraffe

international womens day

Cop Madam Bottle Cap Purse / Environmentally friendly handbag made from bottle-caps by Cop Madam in Turkey.

international womens day

Acacia Creations Can Giraffe / This fun decoration is the ultimate eco-friendly piece! It is handmade in Kenya from recycled aluminum cans and bound with recycled telephone wire.

Shop these items and more here!

 

There are so many different incredible artisans, like Sandy in Chimulahaucan, Mexico who makes gorgeous purses and iPad covers out of unusable consumer packaging, or Benedicta from Uganda, who collects used plastic straws and weaves them into bags, jewelry, mats, and even dresses. Mind blowing right!

Lets meet Marlene + hear her success story

Marlene Costa of Brazil is one of the proud founders of her small village Acajatuba in the Amazon. The hardworking mother of six and grandmother of eight travels by canoe into the forests to collect sustainable natural elements such as tree fibers and seeds. These, along with recyclable materials such as bottles and cans, are used to make beautiful jewelry and accessories.

With helpful design support and craft training, the group of passionate and creative artisans she leads is inspiring and enriching their village. In addition to improving the natural environment with waste recycling, their unique, contemporary pieces are sold all over the world.

Why we should do our part and help support women business owners in our community and across the globe!

Each day you are faced with the choice of which companies to support with your hard earned money. So I urge you to consider focusing on where you spend your money!  Corporate social responsibility is extremely important.  We’ve helped these big companies grow to where they are today (I mean I drink Diet Coke on the reg) and personally I love seeing big companies pay it forward to help others. I like to spend my money with companies that use their power to positively affect women entrepreneurs. Plus, when you invest in the education and success of women, it improves the economy and makes the community stronger and more sustainable. Everyone benefits – men, women and children.

In honor of International Women’s Day, today and everyday, please support other women, not just in businesses but everywhere.  It’s amazing to see how it helps create a ripple effect that benefits our society as a whole. When women rise in their communities, the communities themselves rise to new heights of prosperity and health. Over and over, studies have found a direct correlation between women’s empowerment and GDP growth, business growth, environmental sustainability, improved human health, and other positive impacts. BOOM! Amazing right!

 

I hope you find a few women owned businesses in your community or across the globe to support!