Meet Deidra Mwalimu
Meet Deidra Mwalimu, the founder of Network of Women NOW. NOW is a registered 501 c (3) nonprofit organization in Baton Rouge, LA. Network of Women NOW mission is to support to women and girls with basic human needs in vulnerable populations around the world.
Currently, they have three operating initiatives: 1) combating period poverty, 2) sustainability, and 3) networking.
Network of Women NOW is combating period poverty with their Ubibi Bag by donating feminine hygiene products to women and young girls living in vulnerable populations. The Ubibi Bag helps to lessen the financial burden on women and their families. The most common definition of period poverty is the lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, and education due to financial constraint. The struggle to purchase menstrual products can cause girls to stay home from school and work, with long lasting consequences on their education and economic opportunities. In the U.S., more than 25 million women live in poverty, most are food stamps recipients. However, food stamps don't cover the cost of menstrual products. Because of this inability to purchase menstrual pads, women may be forced to use other substitute items like newspapers, toilet paper, socks, and plastic bags.
When you think about what it means to advocate for women’s rights, Deidra believes in being a good global citizen by petitioning for access to basic human needs and equality. Deidra comes from very humble beginnings, and it is through seeing women in her community that she understood that we sustain the very essence of life. Ultimately, this has shaped the work that she's doing with Network of Women NOW.
When NOW launched in 2021, she did so in a big way. Network of Women NOW successfully donated Ubibi Bags to Maasai women in northern Tanzania. Their Sustainability Initiative supports projects that provides educational classes to women who wants to start their own microenterprises. NOW has donated sewing machines, equipment, and supplies to projects in Tanzania, Nepal, and the United States. Our upcoming projects are in Thailand and Mongolia.
Networking is the foundation for what Network of Women NOW does. They have the ability to connect women-owned organizations to one another to creative collaborative partnerships. Throughout their travels to some of the most remote places in the world, women are looking for global representation from other women. Networking with global women-owned organizations is an excellent way to create extended family, projects that generate need income, and good global citizenship.
For October 2022, NOW is launching their End Period Poverty Fundraising Campaign. The End Period Poverty Fundraising Campaign includes a fundraising cocktail party, a feminine product supply drive, and a panel discussion about ending period poverty and women’s reproductive health.
Learn how to stay involved with NOW and their efforts to address issues that concerns women. For more information, visit their website at www.networkofwomennow.org and follow them on social media platforms (IG, FB, LinkedIn, TikTok) @networkofwomennow. You can contact them directly at info@networkofwomennow.org.
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