On Saturday, July 18, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a stop in Mumbai during her three-day tour of India at the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), a WWB network member. Primarily a trade union for undocumented women workers, SEWA provides a wide range of services to its members, including a full range of financial services through SEWA Bank, group insurance, and skills training. SEWA was founded by Ela Bhatt who is also one of the founders of WWB. The recipient of numerous honors, including the Magsaysay Award and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Harvard University, Bhatt is also the author of the book We Are Poor but So Many: the Story of Self-Employed Women in India, which chronicles the history of SEWA and SEWA Bank.

Clinton is no stranger to SEWA or what it seeks to accomplish. She first came in contact with SEWA 14 years ago on a trip to India as first lady. Since then, she has made several visits to its offices in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. While speaking with a dozen members of SEWA and admiring their textile and garment work, Clinton shared some key thoughts with the group. She applauded them for all the work they have done to provide women workers in India with greater opportunities and the ability to sustain their families’ needs. She also stressed that there is still a long road ahead, citing women’s literacy as the first goal the Indian government should strive toward. Clinton echoed the mission of the WWB network when she said, "We simply will not make progress in our world if we leave women behind."