In January 2006, SowHope was born from a bold vision: a world where women are free to pursue their dreams and achieve their potential. Founder Mary Dailey Brown, alongside her husband, Doug, and a circle of friends, set out to create a nonprofit dedicated to the holistic care of impoverished women living on less than $2 a day. The idea was simple yet revolutionary, develop a model that could be duplicated worldwide, empowering millions of women and, in turn, strengthening families and communities.
From the beginning, SowHope’s strategy was clear: partner with local leaders to solve local problems using local solutions. By funding projects that the leaders themselves invent, initiate, and implement, SowHope ensures that every initiative is authentic rooted in genuine need rather than outside agendas.
Now, twenty years later, the impact is extraordinary. More than 150,000 women across 26 countries have been directly empowered through 386 outcome-based projects—each measurable, time-limited, and transformative. These projects have opened doors to education, economic opportunity, wellness, and hope, proving that when women thrive, their children, families, villages, and nations rise with them.
SowHope remains steadfast in its mission, channeling over 86 percent of funds directly into programs that change lives. As we celebrate this milestone, we honor the vision that started it all and the countless women whose courage and determination continue to inspire us. The past twenty years have been remarkable and the future holds even greater promise.
