The King’s Head Bistro in Galway was packed to the rafter this month, as family, friends, and supporters gathered for a powerful International Women’s Day Lunch in aid of Self Help Africa.
Hosted by Mary and Paul Grealish, the event was an inspiring celebration of women and a call to action for gender equality.
Special guests, including Mayor Peter Keane, First Lady Sabina Higgins, and Mary Sweeney of Self Help Africa, delivered passionate speeches that urged action to support women and girls worldwide.
Their words resonated deeply, highlighting the urgent challenges women face today:
- 137 years—the estimated time to lift all women and girls out of poverty.
- 48 million—the number of women who experience food insecurity at a higher rate than men.
- 250 million hours—the time women and girls collectively spend collecting water each day, three times longer than men and boys.
- 158 million—the number of women and girls at risk of falling into extreme poverty due to the climate crisis by 2050.
With recent cuts to aid funding, particularly for women’s projects in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia, the need for support has never been greater.
All proceeds from the event will directly impact women and families in some of the world’s poorest communities.
Mary Sweeney of Self Help Africa summed it up best. “As women, the greatest gift we can give ourselves is to be ourselves, trust ourselves, and stand up for one another. Together, we can change lives.”
To learn more or support Self Help Africa’s work, visit www.selfhelpafrica.org.
