The Great Generation Journal
This edition of The Great Generation journal examines the role of women as both donors and receivers of financial aid and support in the developing world.
The contributions range across the issue of female philanthropy; women as volunteers on microfinance projects; and women as key recipients of microfinance and the critical role they play in lifting their families out of the cycle of poverty.
We all know from extensive media coverage about the generosity of men who have, through one means or another, made vast fortunes and seek to disperse sizeable amounts of that money to good causes. What we don’t hear about so often are women who also fund charitable foundations, make large donations and/or huge commitments to similar causes.
Read a few words from the CEO of The Great Generation, Suzanne Gowler.
Beth Breeze from the Centre for Philanthropy, Humanitarianism and Social Justice, University of Kent has contributed a thought provoking piece. She examines the question – do women give to different causes and in different ways to men and, if so, why is this? Beth suggests one reason may be women just don’t go in for the wallet waving style of Bill Gates and his male counterparts. A recent Philanthropy UK survey suggests that women want to feel they are part of the process – they want a connection not only with the process of giving, but also the recipients in a way that does not appear to be such an important factor for male philanthropists.
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Caroline Nodder was recently a volunteer on a Leadership Development project in Brazil with The Great Generation. Reflecting and underscoring what Beth writes about the female understanding of giving, Caroline movingly documents her experience – the highs and lows and sheer exhilaration of being hands on with a project, connecting with people and being able to see a tangible, long term outcome.
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Picking up a further thread of the female experience, this time as recipients of support, Lindiwe Mabuza, South African High Commissioner in London writes about the development of microfinance systems in South Africa. In a country where more than four million people are deemed unbankable, microfinance institutions are a crucial factor in the battle to make poverty history.
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We then have a contribution from Cherie Booth QC discussing the vital role of women in helping to spread prosperity across their communities. She argues the real value of microfinance projects goes well beyond simply the economic. Women are gaining a sense of self worth and dignity by taking their future into their own hands.
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Finally, as an example of contemporary female philanthropy we are delighted to include a profile of J. K. Rowling by Sophie Radice which first appeared in the Philanthropy UK report Women & Philanthropy: inspiring women, inspired giving.
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We would like to hear your thoughts and comments on the issues raised in this journal.
If you would like to contribute to the ongoing debate, please contact:
thegreatgenerationteam@thegreatgeneration.org
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