FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Global Fund for Widows welcomes Dr. Nagesh N Borse as Executive Director

Washington DC, August 15, 2023 —The Global Fund for Widows (GFW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr.Nagesh N. Borse as its new Executive Director, effective August 15, 2023. Dr.Borse brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role, and his leadership is poised to drive the organization's mission of empowering widows and female-headed households in the developing world to achieve economic independence and social well-being. With a distinguished career spanning 20-plus years in global health and development, Dr. Borse has consistently demonstrated a commitment to social impact and gender equality.

The grandson of a widow in India, Dr. Borse has lived experience of the intersectional and multigenerational impact of widowhood, and this experience informs his intense passion for our cause. He is impressive in his innovative fundraising, partnership building, and expansion approach and will work to embed GFW into the Washington, D.C., ecosystem. Dr. Borse’s qualifications and experience align perfectly with GFW’s mission to create sustainable opportunities for widows and their dependents. His extensive background working with marginalized and vulnerable populations, including HIV/AIDS prevention in adolescent girls and young women, maternal and child health, and other issues affecting these communities.

"I am honored and humbled to join the Global Fund for Widows as Executive Director and am grateful for the opportunity to serve 300 million widows worldwide," said Dr. Borse. "Kudos to Founder and President Ms. Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, a Nobel Peace prize nominee, for uncovering and giving a voice to the 300 million otherwise voiceless widows who often face unique challenges that prevent them from realizing their full potential. I am excited to work alongside the dedicated team at GFW to develop innovative solutions, foster partnerships, and drive positive change for widows globally." Dr. Borse's vision for the organization includes expanding its reach to underserved communities through digital innovation and FinTech tools and amplifying the voices of widows on the global stage. His strategic leadership will undoubtedly help GFW continue to make meaningful contributions to society and uplift the lives of countless widows.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Nagesh Borse as our new Executive Director," said Ms. Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, President of the Global Fund for Widows."His experience working with U.S. agencies, PEPFAR, and INGOs makes him the perfect fit to lead the organization into its next phase of growth and impact."  

About Global Fund for Widows: 

The Global Fund for Widows is the world’s largest non-profit organization economically empowering widows in the developing world. We do this by building our own financial inclusion innovation of the Widows’ Savings and Loan Associations, or “micro-banks,” which provide them with a permanent source of capital from which they can launch micro-businesses. Thus far, we have built 185 banks worldwide, empowered 26,000 widows, and helped 64,000 of their children across Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Cameroon, Malawi, and India.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected widows around the world. To accommodate alarms of hunger emanating from global lockdowns, the GFW pivoted from building banks for widows feeding the hungry, and starting small income-generating businesses. In just the last few months, we are proud to have offered widows with 6.5 million meals and have launched 400 micro-enterprises.

Global Fund for Widows uses its success in the field to advocate for widows at the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Security Council, United Nations Human Rights Council, US Congress, the UK House of Commons, and the UK House of Lords.

For more information on the Global Fund for Widows and to get involved, please visit www.globalfundforwidows.orgor contact info@globalfundforwidows.org.

Contact:

For media inquiries and more information, please contact Heather Ibrahim-Leathers, CFA, President, Global Fund for Widows. heather.ibrahim@globalfundforwidows.org‍

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