Unleashed Women is a powerful global movement of people empowering women to end hunger. Our goal is to raise funds to empower, educate and train women to end hunger and poverty in their communities globally. We do this through activities such as:

Maternal and Child Health – giving mothers and babies access to quality healthcare and nutrition.

Ending Child Marriage – keeping girls in school so they can reach their full potential.

Microfinance – giving women access to microfiance loans and financial literacy training so they can start a business and be financially independent. 


The Hunger Project’s goal is to end world hunger by 2030. Our approach is different – we see people living in hunger as the solution, not the problem. We shift the mindsets of women and men so they transform into leaders for the sustainable end of hunger. Then, through our programs such as education, microfinance, agriculture and health, we empower people with the skills, knowledge and resources they need to break the poverty cycle themselves.

Why do you describe your strategies as “women-centered”?

There is overwhelming evidence — and our own experience has shown us — that the end of world hunger cannot be achieved if gender inequality persists. We believe that an essential part of ending hunger must be to cause society-wide change toward gender equality. Women bear the major responsibility for meeting basic needs, yet are systematically denied the resources, freedom of action and voice in decision-making to fulfill that responsibility.

Our programs aim to achieve gender equality by empowering women to be key change agents, first and foremost. Men participate in our programs and are an important part of this process, as a change in their mindset is needed for this societal transformation as well. Whether working with groups of men or women, or all together, a focus on women’s leadership is critical to achieving gender equality and the end of hunger and poverty.

Why are women key to ending hunger?

Women everywhere are hungry for change. They’re hungry for health, for equality and for freedom from oppression. When shown how they can achieve their goals, they ensure those around them know how to do the same.

Women have an extraordinary capacity to change the world when they are educated and understand their basic rights.  Studies - and our experience - have proven that the whole of society benefits from empowered women, who apply what they learn to the direct advantage of their families and the communities they live in.  The Hunger Project values the role of women as leaders for change, and our programs are designed to help them rise above forces that oppress them, so they can use their power to end their own hunger and poverty.

When women understand the power they have to initiate significant change, their actions influence other women to do the same and perceptions of their role within society shifts.  Cycles of discrimination, oppression and abuse are altered, and they take on leadership and decision-making roles that had previously been denied to them. 

What have The Hunger Project programs achieved?

The Hunger Project reaches more than 16.1 million people in remote villages across India, Africa, Bangladesh and Latin America.

In 2017 alone, The Hunger Project:

  • Engaged 65,300 women in THP generated financial services. 
  • Reached 98,000 people in activities stopping violence against women.
  • Educated 48,000 participants of courtyard meetings on stopping child marriage in Bangladesh. 
  • Trained 53,000 men and women about clean water and sanitation.

To date, The Hunger Project has:

  • Trained 175,000 elected women representatives in India who are now delivering clean water and electricity to their communities. 
  • Empowered 1.6 million participants in Vision, Commitment, Action workshops.
  • Trained 395,000 local volunteers who are leading change in their communities.

How many people live in hunger?

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that there are now 815 million hungry people in the world. 8,500 children under five die from hunger every day.

Why don't you distribute food to hungry people?

The Hunger Project does not distribute food because food aid is not a sustainable solution to world hunger.

Currently there are 815 million people living in hunger across the world. For them, hunger is a daily, sometimes life-long, reality. People living with persistent hunger require and deserve a sustainable solution based on self-reliance.

Food aid is not only insufficient for combating world hunger; some development experts argue that it can actually cause harm. If poorly managed, distribution of food can destabilise local prices and undermine local production and trade, which are critical for local agricultural development and long-term food security.

The Hunger Project addresses the root causes of hunger and poverty using a methodology that is affordable, replicable and sustainable. Our methodology emphasises rural development and self-reliance. It enables women and men to eradicate persistent hunger in their communities, and makes them more resilient so that they can cope with famine or other emergencies as they arise. 

Why are both women and men involved in Unleashed Women this year?

In previous years, Unleashed Women has focused solely on women in Australia empowering women globally. In 2018, we have expanded it to include men AND women - because we know that it will take all of us to make a difference. We are excited to see what can be possible when everyone comes together around a common goal like empowering women for the end of hunger, once and for all.