How Woman Awards and Cash Grants Improve the Lives of Women Around the World

Many women have found themselves in unfortunate circumstances, and sometimes feel hopeless and trapped in their situations. Poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse, in addition to children and family needs sometimes leave them with few options for improving their conditions. Societal perceptions and culture can also leave women further disadvantaged. Despite the desire to improve their situations, many women cannot do it on their own.

Soroptimist is an international organization supporting women and girls to help them improve their lives. Since 1972, the Women's Opportunity Award has helped many women stop the cycle of poverty and overcome their unfortunate circumstances. Recipients had the desire to break free from their trapped situations, but could not do it without a little help. This woman award allowed them to improve their lives and their children's. Their stories are inspiring.

Kathy is a confident, self-reliant woman, but that is a stark contrast to who she was in the past. She dropped out of high school to marry, and quickly started a family. She tolerated her husband's alcohol abuse and erratic behavior for years. Her self worth was low, so she believed that staying with him was best for her and her children. Finally, she left with her children and was ambitious enough to get loans to go to school to be a dental hygienist. The tuition was covered by loans and grants, but the additional expenses were just too much. She applied for the Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award, and was chosen as a recipient. She now says that the award not only helped her financially, but emotionally, and gave her the hope to succeed in life - which she did!

Maria is also a recipient of the Women's Opportunity Award. She struggled for years as an immigrant field laborer. She attempted to leave her work to attend school, but with no income, she was forced to return to the fields. She knew that staying in school was the only way to create a better life for her children, but with no way to support them, there was no way out. She worked harder and was placed in a work-study program, and eventually won the woman award, which supports her to continue her studies and achieve her dreams.

Pachara is a Thai immigrant living in Japan. Her husband was abusive and eventually died, but she was trapped, unable to return to Thailand because of her three children's Japanese citizenship. She was the recipient of the Women's Opportunity Award, and is now working on her education and language, on the way to achieving her goal of a career in nursing and a stable life for her children.

Despite difficulties in her own life, Shizuka is a generous Japanese woman who opened a childcare center, which offers free and low-cost child care for working women and single mothers. Also a Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award recipient, she is using her award benefits to study child psychology to further help the children attending her center. She is an ambitious, independent woman, and is deeply grateful for this woman award that improved her life.

The victims of domestic abuse not only feel isolated and vulnerable, but over time they can start to believe that they are to blame. This was Victoria's case. She has six children, and her husband's violent outbursts had them living in fear. She finally was brave enough to leave, but struggled to support her children. She was resourceful and hard working, and eventually enrolled in college. She loved school, but was overwhelmed with raising six children, work, classes, and doing it all on her own. She applied for and was awarded the Women's Opportunity Award. The moral support from Soroptimist was an inspiration to her, and her education has led her to be a Math, English and Reading teacher. She is involved in her work with at-risk students who wish to attend college and pursue math and science careers.

These women's lives have not just been improved with these woman awards and cash grants with monetary assistance, but the emotional support has also been the key to their success. They are an inspiration, and as their lives improved, their children and the people they touch as a result of their accomplishments are better as well.

Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor. "How Woman Awards and Cash Grants Improve the Lives of Women Around the World" shares stories of women whose situations have benefited from the Women's Opportunity Award from Soroptimist International.