"One Woman Initiative" Announces First Grants to Women's Organizations in Five Nations

* In Pakistan, with a grant of $100,256 the Kashf Foundation plans to step into the rural microfinance market in Pakistan with a purely women-centric approach. Kashf will launch a rural microfinance program developing activities such as agriculture and livestock-related products, crop insurance, and a mobile microfinance service.

* In Egypt, the Association for Human and Environmental Development will receive a $95,000 grant for a Justice Initiative project that will provide leadership training for women, raise awareness about women’s constitutional rights and encourage women’s political participation.

* In India, the Group for Urban and Rural Development will receive a $106,000 grant to provide women greater access to economic development opportunities through entrepreneurship training and job placement activities.
* In Azerbaijan, the Women’s Bar Association will receive a $96,000 grant to provide women access to legal advice and training on issues related to women’s rights, including domestic violence, trafficking of women, early marriage, and gender equality.

* In the Philippines, Magbassa Kita Foundation, Inc. will receive a $124,500 grant in 2009 to focus on conflict prevention through skills training, workshops and networking in the areas of conflict management and peace building. MKFI will develop and strengthen a network of women’s peace organizations.

For more information about The One Woman Initiative, visit http://www.OneWomanInitiative.org.

ABOUT THE GROUPS

One Woman Initiative
The One Woman Initiative is an international women’s empowerment fund launched on May 12, 2008, with the Secretary of State and representatives of the diplomatic corps and NGO community at the U.S. State Department. With the pragmatic goals of engaging 10 corporate partners and working with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State, OWI’s objective is that some $100 million dollars will be applied to empower women to achieve a local difference and a global impact, in five years. For more information, go to http://www.OneWomanInitiative.org on the Web.