Women empowerment: Nigeria firm, 33 others among $25M Google awardees

By Juliet Umeh

A Nigerian firm, ImpactHer and 33 organisations from other countries are to receive $25 million grants for creating opportunities that benefit women and girls.

The funding to the firms which are largely nonprofits and social enterprises will help them push their solutions for women and girls around the world to reach their full economic potential and strengthen the well-being of communities recovering from COVID-19. 

The $25M global philanthropy challenge was launched in March 2021 and called for gender equity focused organizations to submit their boldest and most innovative ideas to create a more equitable economic reality for women and girls. 

Google.org partnered with a women-led panel of experts  including leaders like Rigoberta Menchu, Naomi Osaka, Shakira, Susan Wojcicki, and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka – and gender equity-focused organizations Vital Voices and Project Everyone to evaluate proposals based on four key criteria: innovation, impact, feasibility, and scalability.

The selected organizations have outlined projects that will help women and girls, especially those in geographically, economically or socially marginalized populations reach their full economic potential. 

In addition to funding of up to $1 million each, recipients will participate in a four-month accelerator program led by Google’s Accelerator and Women Techmakers communities, in partnership with Vital Voices to move their projects forward. Select organizations will also receive a Google.org Fellowship and dedicated Ad Grants to promote their mission. 

President of Google.org, Jacquelline Fuller, said: “Globally, women have been nearly twice as likely to lose their jobs during COVID-19 as men.   It’s vital that we elevate and support work that empowers women and girls to reach their full economic potential, especially in marginalized communities.

“The pandemic recovery must be an inclusive one, and we know that when we invest in women and girls, we all benefit.” 

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