Buckminster Fuller Challenge Selects SHE as Semi-Finalist

SHE has been selected to be one out of 18 Semi-Finalists in the prestigious Buckminster Fuller Challenge, which was named the "Socially-Responsible Design's Highest Award" by Metropolis Magazine. The Challenge is an annual international prize program that awards $100,000 to support the development and implementation of a solution that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems. 

SHE is being recognized for its SHE28 initiative, which addresses a global problem: girls’/women’s lack of access to affordable menstrual products and services. SHE28 helps women jumpstart their own business of
manufacturing and distributing locally produced, low-cost, eco-friendly pads. Preliminary evidence (from UNICEF/SHE surveys) suggest that the lack of access to affordable menstrual products/services leads to
significant costs in terms of education, economics, health, and dignity for girls and women. SHE28 is tackling this taboo with a local, ecofriendly, scalable comprehensive strategy to affect social and economic change.

As one of the 18 Semi-Finalists, SHE will be featured in the Idea Index, a searchable database of exciting ideas and solutions to pressing global problems. Finalists will be determined in May and the winner and runner-up(s) will be announced during a conferring ceremony on June 6th.

We are thrilled to make it through the application process and also be a part of a network of social innovators that advance whole systems thinking and design the kind of high impact global solutions we so desperately need. While we hope to win the final prize of $100,000, we are proud to be affiliated with this important Challenge. 

Check out our semi-finalist page and stay tuned!! 

Introducing Sylvere Mwizerwa to the SHE Team

Sylvere joins the SHE team as the SHE Junior Business Development Officer and is based in Rwanda. He is a Rwandese who received a Bachelor’s degree from the National University of Rwanda. Before Sylvere joined SHE, he worked at EOS Visions Rwanda, an East African leading tour company as an operations officer and has experience working for both non-profit and for-profit organization. Sylvere is pleased with the warm welcome he has received from the SHE team, and is excited to bring his experience in business development and entrepreneurial attitude to help advance SHE’s mission and vision.

You will hear back later from Sylvere himself on our blog so stay tuned!

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Hello from SHE Global Fellow!

Can you spot the Rwandan flag in this photo?

Hello SHE Friends,

I have been a member of the SHE team for one week and I have already made it to the United Nations! Although I was only there this year as a attendee to the Commission on the Status of Women, one of my goals is to make sure SHE is there as one of the lead presenters at next year’s conference to prove that our market-based approach has unleashed the social and economic change needed to reduce gender disparities in education, health, economics, and social status. It’s one of many goals that I am excited to deliver upon for SHE. 

As the SHE Global Fellow, I support SHE’s business development and capital raising efforts, and manages SHE’s blog and social media presence.  I come from a marketing background, having worked in both digital and retail marketing for a French luxury beauty brand, and so I am incredibly excited to add a new perspective on how we can win over one of the toughest consumers – a 13 year girl.

The scope and variety of my work is never boring, and the SHE’s staff enthusiasm and passion is contagious! It’s been incredibly valuable and rewarding to see how each member of the team contribute to the process of bringing the SHE28 initiative to market. 

SHE works tirelessly to provide girls and women access to affordable, eco-friendly pads and its exciting to discover how much visible change that has already been produced in Rwanda with our education program, our advocacy efforts to eliminate the excise tax on pads, and business development as we move the SHE LaunchPad from the lab to large-scale manufacturing.

I can’t wait to share more with you about my work at SHE throughout the year and give you the first-hand scoop on exciting developments!