Our fall 2023 iZōsh Chapter Events were ushered in with bell-clad Rwandan dancers and a powerful story told by a Rwandan basket weaver in Maine. iZōsh Birmingham hosted a reflective and empowering event where women were encouraged to look deeper within themselves to discover and embrace their unique gifts.
Gather and Give
In total, 88 women attended the Maine and Birmingham, MI Fall iZōsh Chapter Events. Between the two events, $14,665 in dues and contributions was collected and then given out in real time to 35 women entrepreneurs living in extreme poverty!
Learn
The speaker for the October 23rd Maine Chapter Event was Rwandan sweetgrass artist Ange Muhorakeyge. Born in Burundi in a refugee camp after her family fled the civil war in Rwanda, Ange returned to her village at age eight. It was there that she learned the intricacies of weaving baskets, a skill and tradition that has shaped her cultural identity. Ange shared stories and photos of the people she is working to support back in Rwanda, beginning and ending the time with traditional dancing.
Jessie Forster, Community Organizer, Faith Leader, and Attorney, was the keynote speaker for the November 3rd Birmingham Chapter Event. Jessie walked women through her three steps to move from feelings of being overwhelmed by the pain and suffering in the world to action! She encouraged women to embrace their unique gifts and take deliberate steps forward, no matter how seemingly small.
Celebrate
What a joy to have the opportunity to gather, give, learn, and celebrate— all with the shared goal of empowering women! We are so grateful for the women who bravely stand up to share their stories, who dare to engage with the world in meaningful ways, and grateful for the many women who are taking steps to empower women across the world through microloans.
We hope to see you at the Spring 2024 Chapter Events!