Watch these reactions from people who see relatives “coming back to life” in a new app

This March marks one year since the beginning of the pandemic … and it has been an incredibly difficult year: more than 500,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs. But the economic downturn of the pandemic has disproportionately affected women, as they are more likely to work in severely affected industries such as hospitality or entertainment, and many have been forced to leave their jobs due to lack of childcare. .

But throughout all these difficulties, women have found, over and over again, ways to help each other and solve problems.

“Women around the world have stepped up and found ways to help where it is most needed,” said Tory Burch, an entrepreneur who started her own business in 2004.

Burch knows a thing or two about women’s empowerment: after seeing the many obstacles women face in business – even before the pandemic – he created the Tory Burch Foundation in 2009 to empower women entrepreneurs.

And now, for International Women’s Day, her company is launching a global campaign with Upworthy to celebrate women around the world who are giving back and creating real change in their communities.

“I hope that the creativity and resilience of these women and the amazing ways they have found to have a real impact will inspire and energize others as much as I do,” says Burch.

This year’s empowered women are definitely inspiring:

Shalini SamtaniKindness of Shalini Samtani

Take, for example, Shalini Samtani. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, she spent a lot of time in the hospital, which led her to quickly realize that there was not a single company in the toy industry that would serve the physical or emotional needs of the 3 million. hospitalize children across America each year. She was determined to change that – so she created the Spread the Joy Foundation to deliver free play kits to pediatric patients across the country.

Varsha yajmanKindness of Varsha Yajman

Varsha Yajman is another candidate this year. He is only 18 years old and yet he has worked diligently to build awareness and action for climate justice over the past seven years, leading school strikes, working as a paralegal with capital-owned lawyers and talking to executives in Semen and a few big ones. Australian banks at the GMS.

Caitlin MurphyKindness of Caitlin Murphy

Meanwhile, Caitlin Murphy intensified greatly during the pandemic, pivoting her business – Global Gateway Logistics – to provide and transport more than 2 million masks to hospitals and care facilities across the country. She also created the Gateway for Good program, which purchased and donated 10,000 KN95 masks to local small businesses, charities, cancer patients and their families, immunocompromised people and churches in the area.

Simone GordonThe kindness of Simone Gordon

Simone Gordon, a domestic violence survivor and single mother, wanted to pay for it first after receiving help with essentials and schooling assistance – so she created the Instagram account @TheBlackFairyGodMotherOfficial and nonprofit to provide direct assistance to families with need. During the pandemic alone, they raised more than $ 50,000 for families and provided emergency assistance – in the form of food – to many women and families of color.

Victoria SanusiThe kindness of Victoria Sanusi

Victoria Sanusi started Black Gals Livin ‘with her friend Jas, and the podcast was an incredibly powerful way to destigmatize mental health for many listeners. The podcast quickly surpassed one million views, was featured on Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You,” won the podcast of the year at the Brown Sugar Awards, and was named one of Elle Magazine’s best podcasts of 2020.

And Upworthy and Tory Burch are just getting started. They are still looking for more extraordinary women around the world who have an impact on their communities.

Do you know one? If you do, nominate her now. If selected, she could receive $ 5,000 to give to a nonprofit organization of her choice through the Tory Burch Foundation. Submissions are accepted continuously – and an empowered woman will be selected each month starting in April.

Nominate her now at www.toryburch.com/empoweredwomen.