Last Thursday, June 24^th, Global Goods Partners attended the Cecilia Attias Foundation for Women’s annual conference, Dialogue for Action. It was an incredible event and shed light on many aspects of global humanitarian work, especially with regards to women. One brief statement that stuck with me is the fact that one third (1/3) of the entire world’s population is under the age of 19 years old. It’s a hard number to conceptualize, especially if you’re a visual learner like me. So I took this ratio—and others—and applied them to more manageable numbers. If we shrink the global population to a village of approximately 100 people, then:

• 33 would be under 19 years old
• 48 would lack access to basic sanitation
• 16 would not be able to access safe drinking water
• Only 1 would have a college education

Undoubtedly, these additional statistics strike a chord of shock, but where do we go from here? The women of the world are at the core of Global Goods Partners. As women are largely in charge of raising children, focusing on the development, sustainability, health, and education of women in small communities has a greater impact on the lives of youths.   At the same time, this information shows the potential that young people have to leave an imprint. Whether it is to change a social stigma, fight injustices, and/or promote a greener lifestyle, this sector of society has great promise to join as one community and take action. Investing in women pays off: women spend nearly 90% of their income on their families whereas men only spend about 30%. To start the chain reaction, check out our website and realize the impact of your purchase as a socially-conscious consumer!