There is no limit to what women can accomplish.
In a world where gentleness is often perceived as a flaw, more and more women in the Fundraising Industry find satisfaction and feel an extent of fulfillment in what they do, especially when they see it connected to their values, purpose, and work-life balance.
Today's working landscape is changing. The business world is no longer just a man's game, and the number of women in leadership positions is growing and will likely continue to flourish. But what might appear as a simple and easy career path demands intellect, diligence, and sacrifice to advance and be two steps ahead.
While taking one step ahead and leading a team through change can seem daunting, women are able to alchemize it into a tool for self-empowerment and social change. The presence of female Professional Fundraisers may have been crucial in mainstreaming child welfare and rights, refugee assistance, animal protection, climate crisis solutions, COVID-19 response, and other advocacies in the Philippines for many decades. Yet no limitations are high enough for women who are born to inspire and make bold and wise decisions as leaders. They make it possible and plausible to provide necessary information, insight, and inspiration to influence others’ way of thinking, attitude, and views in life.
By creating a positive impact with one donor at a time, female fundraisers who are raising their kids and managing the household, who are completing their college degrees, who fear face-to-face interactions due to past traumas, and who were socially conditioned to believe that their voice and actions do not matter, waded through challenges and continue defying indifference through compassion that inspires other women to follow through.
And today, more women in the Philippines' Fundraising Industry find themselves occupying positions in the field, operations, and upper management where there are copious opportunities for all, and women are well-represented in all aspects of societal decision-making. Through companies like Fundpro Philippines, women are granted the same, or even better opportunities, for career and personal growth. Presently, 67 female Professional Fundraisers from the company are stationed all across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao who continue inspiring other people to do the same and get involved.
In this year's women's month, we celebrate all the women in the Fundraising Industry who use their voices for a grander cause: those who passionately build and manage their teams to be better advocates, the ones who tirelessly map out the schedule and travel plans for fundraisers to be deployed outside the metro, to women who meticulously organize company-wide events, series training, and seminars, for women who religiously show up to campaign and client meetings, and most of all, to those women who brave the field to raise funds so that every day, there is one less starved child and one less family displaced – we honor and thank you.
Here's to all strong, resilient, beautiful women who continue and choose to be heroes – continue inspiring other people to do the same and keep leading the game you belong to.