The Great Power of Ela Bhatt’s Gentle Revolution

May 17, 2012

“…Your activities are not limited to India. You are among the founding members of New York-based Women’s World Banking, an organisation that works globally to economically empower poor women and their families. How did you become involved?

‘It all started at the world conference of the international women’s year in Mexico City in 1975. There I met with Esther Afua Ocloo from Ghana. She shared her stories about the position of market women in the capital city Accra and their need for economic empowerment. I could share my experiences with SEWA and SEWA Bank. We both acknowledged the women’s need for access to financial services and decided we must have a world bank for women. Thanks to Michaela Walsh from the US, a Wall Street banker, Friends of Women’s World Banking was founded which provided the capital for the foundation of Women’s World Banking in 1979. An organisation still very much alive and active across 27 countries worldwide focused on microfinance institutions led by women and aimed at women…”
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