International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the social, economic, and cultural achievements of women. From offices to homes, we’re so grateful for all the women out there making the world a better place. We imagine a more inclusive world that encourages and supports women in all their goals.

For over 25 years, Young Living has championed and empowered women by providing them the opportunity to build brighter, more abundant futures via The D. Gary Young, Young Living Foundation. The efforts of the Foundation ignite sustainable change in the lives of women and those around them by investing in education and small business owners. These two initiatives also support the Foundation’s pillars of developing enterprise and championing education.

Developing enterprise

Female entrepreneurs make significant contributions to economic growth but are often overlooked and underpaid.

  • Gender inequality in the economy costs women in developing countries approximately $9 trillion each year.
  • 700 million fewer women than men are employed globally, and those who are employed earn 24 percent less.
  • Women are estimated to do $10.8 trillion worth of unpaid work annually.
  • 75 percent of women in developing areas are not guaranteed legal rights or social protection at work.
  • Women spend up to 90 percent of their earnings on things that directly benefit their children and families—prioritizing things like healthier food, safe water, school fees, and medicine.

These are some of the reasons we are passionate about the Developing Enterprise Program.

International women's Day

Our Developing Enterprise Program focuses on supporting women around the world in gaining financial stability. We award grants to women-led enterprises and invest in vocational skills training and income-generating opportunities. One of the ways the Foundation does this is by partnering with female-led artisan groups to provide fair wages and opportunities. This program helps women to become more financially independent by selling their handcrafted items through Young Living’s marketplace.

When women are financially independent, they are free to create positive change, strengthen communities, and break the cycle of poverty for their children.

Championing education

Along with developing enterprise, our goal of championing education empowers women. Worldwide, women are more likely to have fewer educational opportunities than men. In fact, due to this poor access, two-thirds of illiterate adults in the world are women and 5.5 million more primary school-age girls than boys are out of school.

Two girls walking into YL academy

The Young Living Foundation fights against this inequality by:

  • Funds the building, restoration, and expansion of schools to ensure that safe educational access is available to as many as possible
  • Works with partners to encourage youth to stay in school and provide them with the support they need to overcome underachievement
  • Equips students with tools to drive community change and build self-confidence

By supporting students around the world, we help ensure that more women and girls are empowered by education.

Mary Young – Leading by Example

Young Living is celebrating International Women’s Day with CEO and Co-Founder Mary Young, who challenged the status quo by establishing a successful business in a male-dominated field.

Check out Mary’s video and find out how she is encouraging women to reach greater heights worldwide.

Here’s to women around the world who make a difference simply by being themselves. May we continue to uplift them and celebrate them throughout the year.

How do you celebrate International Women’s Day?