She Counts: a global platform to put savings and financial tools in the hands of women

ExxonMobil Foundation partnered with Women’s World Banking and the Center for Global Development to launch the She Counts initiative. She Counts puts financial tools in the hands of women, capitalizing on their natural inclination to save, control their income and invest in their business. Research shows that women are big savers — in developing countries, women save between 10-15 percent of their daily income.

One billion women, mostly in developing countries, lack access to financial services and savings accounts — negatively affecting business opportunities for women entrepreneurs and depressing economic growth. With our support, the Center for Global Development measured how savings and business training help to move the needle on women’s economic empowerment. The results are significant. Working with female business owners and private sector companies, the findings show that when women save, they exponentially increase their decision-making power and economic empowerment.

For women, access to a savings account means building a prosperous future for themselves and their families. And, when women move forward, the world moves with them.