Washington, D.C., March 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Voices Global Partnership and its allies at FedEx, Visa, Target and Andalou Naturals are proud to announce the launch of the 2023 VV GROW Fellowship, a global business accelerator for women leading for-profit, purpose-driven businesses offering innovative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges by advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  

Now in its ninth cohort, the VV GROW program has selected 100 pioneering women entrepreneurs from 42 countries this year to take part in the fellowship, which will take place in a virtual setting.  

“We know from countless research studies that women lead differently, and that when a woman’s business grows and when she is economically empowered, she pours that right back into her surroundings and her entire community reaps the benefits,” said Zoe Dean-Smith, Senior Vice President, Leadership and Social Impact, Vital Voices. “At Vital Voices, we invest holistically in the woman and that’s why I believe the VV GROW Fellowship program stands out as a leader in this space.” 

The fellowship is like a mini-MBA program, providing immense value to women leaders in far-reaching parts of the world. Training sessions are delivered by world-class trainers who use a learn-do-achieve methodology.   

The VV GROW Fellowship Program

The VV GROW Fellowship is a 10-month virtual program that fosters growth and skills advancement in strategic planning, financial management, marketing and sales, strategic networking, leadership, human resources, and communications to support you in creating a holistic, sustainable foundation for which your vision and impact can grow.  The program builds a network of support amongst fellows and connects them to the Vital Voices Global Network, creating an enabling environment to drive inclusive economic growth and social change. 

VV GROW alumni success stories can be found across the globe, from Nigeria to Iraq and the US in California and many more locations.  

More information about the fellowship and 2023 cohort can be found at: www.vitalvoices.org/program/vv-grow-fellowship 

Follow @vitalvoices and the #VVGROW hashtag to join the conversation. 
 

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About Vital Voices

Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and that nations can’t move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices Global Partnership has directly invested in more than 20,000 changemakers across 184 countries and territories over the last 24 years. It has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, Prime Ministers, award-winning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders, and breakthrough social entrepreneurs, including Amanda Gorman, Malala Yousafzai, and more. Serving as a “venture catalyst,” the non-profit identifies leaders with a daring vision for change and partners with them to make that vision a reality. It provides connections, increased capacity, a peer network, financial support, skills training, and increased visibility for their work, which ranges from gender-based violence to the climate crisis, economic inequities. Follow @vitalvoices on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and  YouTube. 

About FedEx 

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $94 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its 550,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit: fedex.com/about. 

About Visa 

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at: Visa.com. 

About Target 

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at nearly 2,000 stores and at Target.com, with the purpose of helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its profit to communities, which today equals millions of dollars a week. Additional company information can be found by visiting the corporate website and press center and by following @TargetNews. 

About Andalou Naturals 

As pioneers in the natural beauty industry, Andalou Naturals leverages the power of Nature’s Intelligence®, through revolutionary Fruit Stem Cell Science®. It enhances skin’s natural radiance, harnessing the power of plants to fortify and nourish the skin’s essential building blocks while supercharging natural defense systems to create a luminous, energized appearance from head to toe. Andalou Naturals’ commitment to beauty through pure ingredients, innovative formulas, eco-friendly practices, and cruelty-free standards guides the brand’s formulation while its dedication to the empowerment of women lays a beautiful foundation for generations to come.   

For more information about Andalou, visit: www.andalou.com  
Instagram at: www.instagram.com/andalounaturals 
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/andalounaturals