WASHINGTON–An update on the activities and growth of the Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN) was shared during a luncheon here that also featured a “fireside chat.”
The event was held in conjunction with America’s Credit Unions GAC.
GWLN President Eleni Giakoumopoulos said the number of Sister Societies around the world now total more than 160, operating on all continents but Antarctica.
Attendees from El Salvador, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and the United States were on hand to “connect and advance the movement for gender equity in leadership just ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8.”
She said the organization provides learning and educational resources that include reports, thought leadership papers and experts within the GWLN community.
Fireside Chat Held
During a fireside chat between Elissa McCarter LaBorde, President and CEO of World Council of Credit Unions, and Marisela Alvarenga, Chief Industries Officer (a.i.) at IDB Invest, which explored the impact of networking, leadership challenges and the role of financial cooperatives in driving global economic inclusion.
Through her work with IDB Invest, Alvarenga supports sustainable development in infrastructure and the financial sector in places like the Amazon, where working with credit unions and other cooperatives is essential, according to the World Council of Credit Unions.
“Financial inclusion is key for people to access, not only the services, but also to access opportunities, to grow and to believe that they can do something and then do it in a sustainable way. And this is what we do in terms of investments, not only with finances, but also with advising services, and we enable the environment so the people we work with can improve their lives,” said Alvarenga.
She also shared her own growth in leadership story, encouraging GWLN members to be resilient and to continue to evolve as leaders, WOCCU reported.
GWLN also shared key updates, including a focus on expanding membership and the newly announced 2025 partnership with eLeadership Academy, reinforcing its commitment to leadership development.
“Things are going to be packaged for our Sister Society members, you can look for those announcements in the next week or so. From power hour coaching sessions to more webinars and more education and learning for our entire network, which is very, very important for GWLN,” said Eleni Giakoumopoulos, GWLN Director.
The luncheon also highlighted the leadership journey of Grace Sharon Watsiera, a 2024 GWLN Scholarship winner, who shared the value of her experiences in empowering women through financial cooperatives in Africa, including the creation of the Inclusive Citizen program.
Annual Events Hosted
During her update, Giakoumopoulos noted the organization also hosts a series of annual events in construction with other meetings, and offers scholarships for in-person and virtual learning, including to attend the World Credit Union Conference each year.
There are also empowerment grants for GWLN members to implement projects aimed at advancing social and community impact efforts.
During the event, Giakoumopoulos reminded that women still earn 16% less than men on average, and that 36% of women who have received promotions since joining GWLN credit the network for its support.
The GWLN event at GAC was sponsored by Velera and TruStage
