Australian jewellery label, Medley, has partnered with charity organisation, i=Change, since the brand launched in 2020 by donating $1 from every purchase made.

To support International Women’s Day and drive awareness of the #ChooseToChallenge theme, Medley increased this donation amount to $5 from every purchase received on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021.

The IWD #ChooseToChallenge 2021 campaign theme encourages all to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. Therefore, Medley raises a hand to show support and solidarity, and that it commits to helping to create an inclusive world. Thanks to i=Change, one charity you can choose to support when you make a purchase with Medley is the Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) – an Australian charity that aims to provide direct relief of suffering for disadvantaged and homeless women by establishing new shelters in partnership with communities.

Medley spoke with Annabelle Daniel, CEO of WCS, about the important work that WCS undertakes and what the donations contribute towards. And as the main goal, Annabelle explained that she, “Would love to shut the shelters down in 20 years because there is no longer any need for them. That is the goal we have to work towards.”

When Medley enquired about what this year’s IWD theme of #ChooseToChallenge meant for WCS, Annabelle responded with, “In our line of work, ‘challenging’ is more than a choice, it’s a necessity. We must challenge the status quo that women are more likely to retire into poverty. We must provide pathways into employment and education so women have adequate opportunities to fulfil their dreams and support their families. And we must challenge the notion that domestic and family violence will always be around – we can and must work towards eliminating it.”

Providing an overview of what the organisation does, Annabelle explained that WCS works with local communities in NSW to establish new crisis accommodation shelters for women
and children who are homeless or leaving domestic and family violence. In 2020, WCS provided over 20,000 bed nights to women and children. It also provides that vital, affordable
next step of secure housing once women have completed their stay in a shelter.

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