During a virtual event on International Women's Day on 8 March 2021, Google announced that it will be committing $25 million towards the empowerment of women and girls across Africa. Through Google.org, the company announced that it has opened applications for grant funding for its newly announced Impact Challenge (GIC) for Women and Girls.
GIC will pledge $25 million in overall cash grants to NPOs and social enterprises across Africa that are seen as creating pathways to prosperity for women and girls.
“As economies and societies rebuild, we need bold new ideas that will propel us forward. We can’t afford to go back to the way things were, and we certainly can’t do it alone," said Alistair Mokoena, Google's Country Director for South Africa.
Applications open for Google Impact Challenge for Women and Girls
GIC for Women and Girls applications are open a of the announcement. Those NPOs and social enterprises interested in applying have until Friday, 2 April 2021 at 11:59pm GMT to submit their applications on the GIC website.
The application review and selection process will be presided over by an all-female panel of experts which includes:
- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women;
- Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on SDGs;
- Graça Machel, Founder, Graça Machel Trust;
- Juliana Rotich, Kenyan information technology entrepreneur.
“We have a collective responsibility to ensure that generations of women and girls from all walks of life—no matter their race, sexual orientation, religion or socioeconomic status—live in a world where they are treated equally and can realise their full potential. When women and girls have the tools, resources and opportunities to turn their potential into power, it not only changes the trajectory of their individual lives, but also strengthens entire communities. If we lift up women and girls, the rest of the world will rise, too,” concluded Mokoena.
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