Blog #5
October 8, 2009
On the Colbert Report last week, Sheryl Wudunn author of Half the Sky, discussed giving women the opportunity to have half of everything that men have. She talked about how women have been challenged and have faced brutality throughout the centuries. After Stephen Colbert hilariously asked for examples, Wudunn offered a very inspiring story of a woman from Pakistan. This woman was beaten by her husband daily. He was unemployed so he took his frustrations out on her, physically. After having her second female child, her husband’s mother threatened that she might never be able to produce a son so he should think about getting a new wife. The woman applied for a small loan of only$65 and started her own embroidery business. She ended up becoming very successful and needed to expand her business to fulfill the demand. She ended up hiring around 3o families in her village, including her husband as well. Wudunn goes on to discuss the results you can expect when you give a loan to a woman or educate a girl, they will use their resources to better themselves and their families. She will follow through and become successful. Wudunn feels that one of the best ways to combat terrorism and poverty is to invest in women and girls. She also finds that when women are given charge of the finances, they are more likely to use the money for more practical purposes than when men are in charge of the finances. Below is the link to this video, I found it very informative and entertaining. This book sounds like it is a tool of great inspiration and motivation for women as well as a wake up call for men to see the value of a woman’s determination when given the opportunity to prove herself.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/250398/september-28-2009/sheryl-wudunn
