We are excited to welcome Julie Nzambi - Finance and Legal Assistant - to the team. Passionate about women's empowerment, Julie believes that through impact investing we can fight gender inequalities, especially in fragile countries where women suffer from extreme societal injustice.
Born and raised in DRC, Julie has seen the magnitude of social and financial security problems many low-income countries in Africa are facing. "Living in the Netherlands, it is hard to imagine that somewhere in the world even walking the street can be so unsafe," says Julie. Having firsthand experience with the challenges fragile countries face, Julie wanted her work to contribute to social development and inequality reduction.
Pursuing a law degree at first, she wanted to make the world a fairer place through international legislation, only to discover it was beautiful in theory but lacked action and efficiency. Searching for a more practical approach Julie did a master's in law and economics and gained insight into the power of finance to change people's lives.
"The shift towards sustainability and social development starts with people's wallets. The right kind of investment can be transformational for society. I admire the work that Cordaid Investment Management is doing in low-income countries. It is exactly what I was looking for in a job - combining my legal and economic background to help provide inclusive financial solutions to people and enterprises," explains Julie.
Eager to work with projects that empower women and reduce inequalities in low-income countries, it was important for Julie that we at Cordaid Investment Management carefully apply the gender lens to our investments.