To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, Heifer International, a global development organization working to end global hunger and poverty by investing in small-scale farmers, along with celebrity ambassador and Emmy award-winning actress, Uzo Aduba, today announced the launch of the “Inspiring Gifts for Inspiring Women” campaign, in partnership with eBay for Charity. The campaign will run today through March 15, highlighting Heifer International’s work on women’s empowerment in rural communities around the world.
Heifer International has provided farmers with livestock, seeds, training, and connections to market so they can build sustainable food and farming businesses for over 75 years. The organization invests in women farmers, who make up 43 percent of the global agricultural workforce, equipping them with the tools and expertise they need to grow their businesses and reach a living income, using farming methods that protect the environment.
The “Inspiring Gifts for Inspiring Women” campaign includes a one-of-a-kind eBay auction for two people to visit The Africa Center in New York, NY, with Aduba. Auction winners will spend three hours with Aduba for a coffee and tour of the center to learn about why she supports small-scale farmers around the world. The campaign will also feature a range of Gifts That Give Back – symbolic gifts which allow shoppers to donate between $20 and $750 directly to Heifer International.
eBay will also highlight Heifer International as a recommended organization for sellers to donate 10-100 percent of their sales to and as the featured nonprofit for buyers to donate at checkout through PayPal.
“We applaud eBay for its commitment to giving back and are honored to be recognized on such a significant day as International Women’s Day,” said Heifer International CEO Pierre Ferrari. “Uzo has been a passionate, authentic supporter of Heifer and an inspiration to women worldwide. Her voice is essential for showing the importance of women farmers around the world who are ending hunger and poverty in their communities.”
In 2016 and 2018, Aduba visited Heifer International’s work in Uganda, where she witnessed the impact of women’s groups and cooperatives, leadership and gender equity training. While nearly half of all farmers around the world are women, many do not have control over their income and other assets. Heifer Uganda helps women become leaders in their households and communities and has worked with 4.8 million people since 1982.
“When I first visited a Heifer International project, I was astounded by how closely they work with the communities they serve, and especially with the women in those communities,” said Aduba. “Heifer is not only helping women to survive, but to thrive. Women farmers are businesswomen who are inspiring change and becoming leaders among their peers.”
Aduba is Heifer International’s first celebrity ambassador. Through eBay for Charity, together they aim to raise funds to directly invest in women farmers and entrepreneurs to reach a living income. Aduba is available by request for phone and written interviews to discuss her involvement with Heifer International.
eBay shoppers can head to ebay.com/heiferinternational to bid on the auction experience with Aduba or to buy a Gift That Gives Back in support of Heifer International.
