In 2024, Counter Culture Store proudly made 25 micro loans to women across 14 countries, supporting agricultural, educational, and retail ventures. This is more than just a financial commitment—it's a declaration of our mission to champion female founders and empower women around the globe.
Breaking Barriers for the Unbanked Did you know more than half of the world's 1 billion unbanked population are women? These women often have little to no access to financial services, a barrier that stifles their potential and limits opportunities for growth.
But here’s the kicker: Research shows women are more likely to reinvest their earnings in ways that uplift their families and communities. When women succeed, everyone wins. That’s why we’ve partnered with Kiva, a crowd-lending platform, to provide micro loans that create a ripple effect of positive change.
Impact That Multiplies “There is a 1-to-1 impact when you support a woman via Kiva. And with 96% of micro loans being repaid, we can keep recycling our funds to support even more women,” says Wendy Martin, CEO of Counter Culture Store.
This year, our micro loans have supported inspiring women like:
Milagro from El Salvador: A tortilla maker who used her loan to purchase maize and limes.
Jamolbi from Tajikistan: A determined sister financing her brother’s education.
Gleice from Brazil: An aspiring entrepreneur dreaming of opening her own shop for handmade products.
Herlinda from Guatemala: A mother who, despite never attending school, supports her children’s education through livestock farming.
Gender Equality Matters Gender equality is more than a human right; it’s the cornerstone of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world and at the heart of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
With 80% of Kiva loans going to women, this platform has already reached over 5 million people, loaned more than $2 billion, and boasts an impressive 96% repayment rate.
These loans empower women to build businesses, access education, and invest in brighter futures for themselves and their communities and we are delighted to play our small part.
As a small, but growing, female-founded start-up Counter Culture Store is on a mission to celebrate and champion female founders. We work to ensure that over 90% of our brands are female-founded or co-founded and we're proud members of communities like Buy Women Built and Female Founders Rise who seek to amplify women’s voices and businesses.
And there is so much to be done here in the UK to empower and enable more female founders. Right now, a mere 2p of every £1 invested by venture capitalists goes to female-founded business. This inequity drives our commitment to create a fairer landscape for women entrepreneurs.
Join the Movement By supporting initiatives like Kiva and by championing female-founded brands we’re proving that change is possible.
Every loan, every purchase, and every investment in women is a step toward a more equitable and thriving world.
Because when women rise, the world rises with them.