H&M raises money to help empower women in Ethiopia

Swedish retail chain H&M has raised 2.1 million euros over the festive season through the sales of its H&M Conscious Foundation holiday gift labels, which will assist global humanitarian organisation Care to empower women in Ethiopia.

The three-year Care project, will support women from low-income communities in developing their own business in order to generate income, gain more power in their families and communities and to enhance their self-esteem.

The women will be trained and coached in business and life skills to help them set up their own enterprises. In addition, some of the enterprises will deliver social services such as child care and catering, to help more women to combine paid work with family responsibilities.

H&M says the donation will result in 5,000 women entrepreneurs from low-income communities gaining access to knowledge and basic skills on enterprise development, with 500 enterprises being developed with and by women through the training and coaching scheme, as well as 50 women-led social service providers delivering adequate services to women workers and entrepreneurs.