In 2009, the Footprints Network was invited to contribute to the Asia Pacific Breakthrough: The Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty.
Breakthrough aims to catalyse a new movement in the Asia Pacific region, one that brings together women’s development agencies and faith based organisations in the common call to act together to eliminate poverty, and the feminisation of poverty by empowering women and girls. Efforts will be focused on support of women in the Pacific, South East Asia, Indigenous women and refugee women.
Two key UN Millenium Development Goals that the Asia Pacific Breakthrough addresses are MDG 3 and MDG 5, pertaining to the health, well being and prosperity of women and girls across the world. The alliance will provide a forum for the progress of these two goals to be tracked and monitored across the Asia Pacific.
A key element of the work is to attract new partners from the business and philanthropic sectors in the region to the common goal of ending poverty by empowering women.
Footprints is committed to help meet these goals and will set aside $100,000 of funding in 2010 for projects that empower women to change their lives and transform their communities.
The Footprints Network Statement of Commitment :
"The Footprints Network is an alliance of e-commerce businesses and their customers. Using web technologies, Footprints aggregates thousands of microdonations made with online transactions, to fund community development projects that help end poverty.
Two billion of the world’s population live on less than $2 a day. Women are most affected by poverty both in terms of impact and numbers. Women make up 70% of the world’s poor and they are the most disadvantaged. Poverty diminishes their rights and their opportunities.
Footprints is committed to working with our NGO partners to fund projects that alleviate the impacts of crushing poverty and make a tangible difference to the lives of women living in impoverished communities.
As part of our commitment to Asia Pacific Breakthrough, Footprints will invite our NGO partners to submit new projects for funding through the Footprints Network, specifically targeting gender equality or maternal health. These projects will raise $100,000 in 2010 for projects that empower women to change their lives and transform their communities. "
Footprints projects:
The first project that Footprints Network will fund as part of this commitment is the 'Economic Empowerment of Sri Lankan women' through Oxfam Australia. It will launch in late Jan 2010 on this site and provide research into market opportunities, training in small business and financial support through revolving fund loans for approx 80 poor women.