Giving Women

Year-end sale
2025-11-24 10:00 - 19:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Atalanti Moquette’s Residence, Chemin de Grange-Canal 34, Chene-Bougeries, Geneva, 1224, Switzerland
We look forward to welcoming many of you to our popular traditional End of Year Sale at the residence of Atalanti Moquette.
More details to follow soon.

From Capacity to Capital - Fuelling women’s financial inclusion in emerging markets
2025-11-24 18:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | responsAbility Investment AG, Zollstrasse 17, Zurich, 8005, Switzerland
We warmly invite you to join the Giving Women Zurich Chapter and our host partner, responsAbility, for an evening of insight and inspiration on how financial and non-financial support can empower women to build more resilient futures in emerging markets.
True financial inclusion is about more than access to capital: it’s about creating the conditions for women to grow their capabilities, strengthen their livelihoods, and lead change in their communities. This discussion will explore how mentoring, capacity building, investment, and climate-conscious initiatives work together to drive lasting empowerment.
Bringing perspectives from grassroots action to global investment, our panel brings together leaders who are advancing women’s empowerment, financial inclusion, and climate resilience in complementary ways.
Panelists:

Martin Heimes – Head of Private Debt at responsAbility
Amanda Turner Ege – Executive Director at elea Foundation
Rebecca Berlinger – Co-funder & COO at The Rocket Foundation
Nejira Nalic McCarrick – Financial Inclusion Expert and Project Circle Coordinator at Giving Women

Moderator: Nadir Franca, Co-Lead of the Giving Women Zurich Chapter.

Join us for an engaging evening of conversation, connection, and concrete action, followed by an apéro generously hosted by responsAbility.

From growing pains to growing gains - Part 2 - Theory of Change
2025-12-01 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | https://givingwomen.org/event/part-2-theory-of-change/
About the workshop series
Navigating growth and transitions so your organisation can thrive through change – In this time of great upheaval and uncertainty in the development and humanitarian sectors, we are all reflecting on the changes needed within our organisations to meet these challenges. Giving Women invites you to a six-part workshop series designed to help organisations navigate growth and transition, enabling them to thrive amidst change and theses challenging times.

Workshop 2 of 6 – “Theory of Change”

Building on the “Setting the Scene” workshop, which explored how mission, vision, purpose, and strategy evolve during organisational change, this second session invites participants to take a fresh look at their existing Theory of Change (ToC). Rather than drafting a new ToC, the workshop focuses on reviewing and recalibrating what you already have. Participants will explore how shifts in the external environment, internal capacity, and organisational culture affect the relevance and feasibility of their ToC – ensuring it remains a living, practical roadmap for achieving impact in a changing world.

Ticket options & details

Members: Free
Not yet a member? You can purchase tickets for a single workshop or the full series.

Individual session ticket: You will receive the recording and supporting materials for that session.Series ticket: You will receive the recordings and supporting materials for all six workshops.

About the speaker
Nadir Franca is a sustainability professional with over a decade of experience in developing impact assessment frameworks and sustainability methodologies for the financial and social sectors. She has led the design of SDG-aligned taxonomies, social impact measurement frameworks, and financial inclusion methodologies. Her work spans corporate sustainability assessments, impact investing advisory, and policy research in Europe and Latin America. Nadir holds a PhD in Business Administration with a focus on Social Impact Finance and is a member of Giving Women Switzerland and Women in Sustainable Finance.

Unlocking youth livelihoods through digital skills
2025-12-04 12:15 - 13:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86431094190
As Africa’s “youth quake” approaches — with the population aged 15–24 expected to grow by 42% by 2030 — finding employment is becoming an urgent challenge. Is digital training the answer? Can global job opportunities open up for these young people?
Join us online to explore how digital skills programmes are already creating pathways to employment for youth in underserved communities. Hear directly from practitioners working on the ground, as well as a researcher who will share best practices, success stories, and the challenges we must address to ensure these initiatives are effective, ethical, and scalable.
Our moderator

Kirsten Schuettler – Economist

Our panelists

Maeghan Ahumuza – Operations Lead, Era92
Valerie Okumu – Development Officer, Konexio Africa
Dr Funda Ustek Spilda – Senior Lecturer and SE Asia Programmes Lead at the Department of Digital Humanities, King’s College London
Brizan Were – Co-founder and Managing Director, Lions Strength

Giving Women Informal Apero - Geneva
2025-12-08 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Giving Women Office, Rue du Mont-Blanc 4, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland
We look forward to welcoming many of you to our 8 December Apero
We have seen our community steadily grow to over two hundred members, and beyond, with partners and projects globally. To date, we have worked with over 90 projects on 5 continents. Each year we recognise the value that our community brings to projects working to improve the lives of women and girls.
So come and get to know other Giving Women members and the exciting work they are all doing, and be inspired over a light Apero at our offices.

Membership kick-off
2026-01-23 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Zurich) | Giving Women Office, Rue du Mont-Blanc 4, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland
Join us for our Membership Kick-off – a welcome session designed to help new Giving Women members get started on their journey.
During this informal one-hour meeting, you will learn how Giving Women works, explore the different ways you can get involved, and connect with other new members. Our Managing Director, Kathleen, together with a member of our Executive Committee, will guide the session and answer any questions you may have. No preparation is needed — just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm.
We look forward to getting to know you and supporting you as you begin your Giving Women journey.
*If you are not yet a member but would like to attend to learn more about Giving Women, please email us.

Giving Women Informal Apero – Geneva
2026-01-26 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | Giving Women Office, Rue du Mont-Blanc 4, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland
We look forward to welcoming many of you to our 26 January Apero at our office.
We have seen our community steadily grow to over two hundred members, and beyond, with partners and projects globally. To date, we have worked with over 90 projects on 5 continents. Each year we recognise the value that our community brings to projects working to improve the lives of women and girls.
So come and get to know other Giving Women members and the exciting work they are all doing, and be inspired over a light Apero at our offices.

Giving Women Informal Apero – Zurich
2026-01-26 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | ATELIER BAR, Talacker 16, Zürich, 8001, Switzerland
We look forward to welcoming many of you to our 26 January Apero in Zurich.
We have seen our community steadily grow to over two hundred members, and beyond, with partners and projects globally. To date, we have worked with over 90 projects on 5 continents. Each year we recognise the value that our community brings to projects working to improve the lives of women and girls.
So come and get to know other Giving Women members and the exciting work they are all doing, and be inspired over a light Apero .

From growing pains to growing gains - Part 3 - Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
2026-02-03 19:00 - 20:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | https://givingwomen.org/event/from-growing-pains-to-growing-gains-part-3-monitoring-and-evaluation-frameworks/
Workshop 3 of 6: Monitoring and evaluation frameworks

Building on the reflections from Workshops 1 and 2, this session focuses on translating your evolving Theory of Change into clear, realistic, and measurable outcomes through monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Rather than treating monitoring and evaluation frameworks as a rigid donor requirement, the workshop invites participants to explore these frameworks as practical tools for learning, accountability, and strategic decision-making. With insights from our expert in MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning), participants will examine how outcomes, indicators, assumptions, and risks can be aligned with organisational capacity and changing contexts—ensuring that MEAL supports growth, adaptation, and meaningful impact.

About the facilitator
Silvia Guizzardi serves as the Senior Advisor for Impact at Oak Foundation. With over 20 years of experience in strategic development and monitoring, evaluation and learning in international cooperation and philanthropy, she focuses on enhancing programmatic impact narrative and effectiveness. (Silvia kindly agreed to step in last minute and replace Riswana Soundardjee from GAVI who came down with the flu and had to pull out)

About the workshop series

Navigating growth and transitions so your organisation can thrive through change – In this time of great upheaval and uncertainty in the development and humanitarian sectors, we are all reflecting on the changes needed within our organisations to meet these challenges. Giving Women invites you to a six-part workshop series designed to help organisations navigate growth and transition, enabling them to thrive amidst change and theses challenging times.

Ticket options & details

Members: Free
Not yet a member? You can purchase tickets for a single workshop or the full series.

Individual session ticket: You will receive the recording and supporting materials for that session.Series ticket: You will receive the recordings and supporting materials for all six workshops.

How can the Social Enterprise model help close the funding gap?
2026-02-19 12:15 - 13:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86981622639
Context

At a time when funding is increasingly difficult to secure while needs continue to rise, many organisations are under intense pressure. Migrant populations are at record levels due to conflict and climate crises, girls’ completion of primary and secondary education is declining, and access to healthcare remains a struggle. The challenges are overwhelming.
What we will explore
Join us for an online conversation moderated by Zoya Siddiqui from Acumen, an organisation that recognised early on the potential of the social enterprise model. Together, we will explore how this approach can help organisations build more resilient, financially sustainable models.
We will highlight and hear from three grassroots organisations applying this model in the field: Aavishkaar Centre (India), Project Maji (Africa), and Womengro Initiative (Uganda). We will also be joined by the Elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalisation, which supports social entrepreneurs through its philanthropic giving, to share the funder perspective on what helps these models thrive.
Date and time
Thursday 19 February, 12.15pm CET (online)
Panelists
Moderator

Zoya Siddiqui, Development and Partnerships Manager at Acumen Europe

Expert perspective

Lisa Jean-Mairet, Executive Director, Elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalisation

Voices from the field (highlighted organisations)

Prapti Bhasin, CEO, Aavishkaar Centre, India
Sunil Lalvani, Founder, Project Maji, Africa
Lilian Nakigozi, Founder, Womengro Initiative Uganda
