Gather. Give. Learn. Celebrate. These are the components of a usual iZōsh Chapter Event and each one is powerful in its own way. We gather with each other, shoulder to shoulder, to truly see each other—the needs and joys, abundance and lack—and face the world together. We give from our hearts to strengthen our fellow women—because we all know that each of us are where we are today because of other women who have given us strength. We learn, because the world we live in is a dynamic and changing place and we want to understand it, embrace it, and live in it well. And we infuse celebration into all we do because the result of gathering, giving, and learning is deeply beautiful and meaningful.
Here are some of the beautiful things iZōsh International and iZōsh Chapters have been celebrating lately:
Gather: [verb] To collect. [adverb] To put you arms around someone and hold or carry them in a careful or loving way.
In 2022, iZōsh Chapters again began gathering in person for events. We celebrate all the leaders who made this possible. Putting on events is no small task. We are also thankful for the innovation of hybrid events and the women who stepped in to make new ways to gather possible. In 2022, iZosh Chapters were able to host four hybrid iZōsh Chapter Events with women attending both in person and virtually.
Give: [verb] To offer something to someone, or to provide someone with something
Together we were able to grant a total of $27,288 last year to support 84 women living in extreme poverty across the world. In our ten years of gathering and giving, iZōsh Chapters have granted a total of $313,794 in microloans to 942 women. We’ve celebrated this with cowbells, cupcakes, hugs, and cheering. How beautiful it is when we can join together to give something meaningful and life-changing from our hearts!
Learn: [verb] To get knowledge or skill in a new subject or activity
The stories and passions of other women have taught us so much! During this past fall’s iZōsh Chapter Events we had the pleasure of learning from two incredible women. Dr. Clydette Powell, MD, shared at the Maine iZōsh Chapter Event about the impact of extreme poverty on the health of women and their families. She expanded our understanding of what life looks like for women living in extreme poverty and highlighted the need for prayer, compassion, and second chances.
Mallory Brown’s passion for women’s empowerment and the lessons she has learned from her Walk a Mile journey inspired us at the fall Birmingham iZōsh Chapter Event. She has learned so much from stepping into the shoes, so to speak, of 26 impoverished women around the world. After the Event, one woman who attended shared, “Friday night was so inspiring and puts everything into perspective… thank you for including us in being part of something so meaningful.”
Celebrate: [verb] To take part in special enjoyable activities in order to show that a particular occasion is important
Celebration is at the core of iZōsh International and the iZōsh Chapters because we know that what we are able to engage in is important. Since its inception more than ten years ago, 942 women have been strengthened and empowered because of the generosity of the women who are part of iZōsh Chapters. Together we celebrate this!
We look forward to continuing to gather, give, learn, and celebrate in the coming months and years!
*All definitions were taken from the Cambridge Dictionary