HerStory Podcast Series
Dive into the world of the HerStart program by listening to first-hand stories from young women entrepreneurs, fellows, partners and staff working together to advance women's equality globally.
Welcome to the HerStory podcast series. Join us as we share stories from young women who are shaping the social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. Hear from YCI staff, partners and volunteers about their work supporting women entrepreneurs on the HerStart program. Each episode has been produced with support from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to enhance the HerStart program. Tune in each month for new episodes!
Latest Episode
In this episode, Aida Embaye, HerStart Social Entrepreneurship Fellow in Mpigi, Uganda, speaks with Florence Nakamya, founder of the Transformers Academy – a social business that aims to motivate, counsel and guide young girls and women in her community for success. Florence talks about her experience seeing girls being misled at a young age and her hopes to see young women thrive in her community.
All Episodes
In this episode, Rafia Ajmal, HerStart Program and Training E-Fellow, speaks with Kristine Vanderplas, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at YCI, to discuss the goals of the HerStart Innovate the Future program, why empowering women social entrepreneurs is so important and what’s next for the program to continue advancing women’s equality globally.
Intro (00:05):
Hi, everyone. Welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Rafia Ajmal (01:34):
Hi everyone. My name is Rafia and I am the Program and Training E-Fellow for Tanzania. Today, I am chatting with Kristine Vanderplas, who is the Director of Innovation and Sustainability at YCI. Today, we're gonna be talking about the origins of HerStart, what it really is and why social entrepreneurship is so important right now. So Kristine, I'll hand it over to you to explain what the HerStart program is.
Kristine Vanderplas (02:00):
So YCI's HerStart is actually a global initiative that's aiming to engage thousands of young people to advance women's equality and we wanna do this through creating a social entrepreneurship ecosystem, which then has ripple positive impact for everyone involved. And through the HerStart initiative, we launched HerStart Innovate the Future in 2020 and this program specifically is meant to support 10,000 young women with skills and resources in social entrepreneurship while also supporting the surrounding ecosystem. And this program is seven years long, which is an amazing amount of time to be able to sort of learn about how to do this work better and we're operating this program in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. We're also not working alone. We're collaborating with seven organizations across those three countries who are champions for young women and for social innovation in their countries. And it's also an amazing opportunity to engage Canadians. And so we're engaging over 300 Canadian volunteers through the fellowship program, and those volunteers are going to be supporting the implemention of the program. And at the moment, obviously that's remote, but eventually we are hoping that Canadians will be able to travel and work with our partners and the young women. As I mentioned, it's funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Cooperation Program and it's also in alignment with Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy.
Rafia Ajmal (03:39):
And so how did you begin your involvement with the program?
Kristine Vanderplas (03:43):
Sure. So through my engagement with YCI we've always been very interested in determining how to do this work with young people in effective ways. And we've noticed over time that giving young people the skills and resources they need to be able to provide a livelihood for themselves is a really effective approach for an intervention that basically supports people long into the future. And so through the Volunteer Cooperation Program from the Government of Canada, which is the envelope that YCI is funded under, we are able to provide skilled Canadians to engage in this programmatic approach in terms of supporting young people to gain a livelihood for themselves. And what's exciting about this program is that it also aligns with the Feminist International Assistance Policy, which Canada launched in 2017, and that policy is affirming that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is a crucial aspect to shifting the economic reality for young people, for communities and Canada is one of a small number of countries taking this approach. So it just felt like an interesting synergy of what was happening on a policy level and also my own personal interest in livelihood development and in supporting young women.
Rafia Ajmal (05:12):
Yeah, I think that's what really drew me to the program and e-fellowship as well, just really wanting to help provide opportunity to empower women economically as well as watch their success throughout the program. But where do you think the inspiration for this project came from?
Kristine Vanderplas (05:28):
YCI has been working with young people around the globe for over 30 years, and we've worked with young people in a number of different areas and noticed that really there's a lot of power and potential in sharing skills and resources around entrepreneurship. And the other thing that we've noticed is especially through our EQWIP HUBs project which spanned five years over six countries and supported over 85,000 youth in starting a business or finding decent work. Basically in that program, what we saw was that young women who were starting businesses already were considering people and planet as a part of their as a part of their business activities. So in some ways they were already starting social enterprises without even necessarily knowing that it was a social enterprise. In fact, through the EQWIP HUBs project, over 60% of the businesses that were launched through the seed funding that was provided were owned by women, started by women. We also heard a lot of feedback from our staff who were working on that project around how much confidence young women gain by going through the training program and gaining these skills and resources and, you know, going from coming into a training program and not necessarily having the confidence to speak in front of a group to being confident enough to stand up in front of people and actually like present their business idea to a panel of people.
Rafia Ajmal (07:06):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Yeah. It's really interesting that you say that because I think it's common for women to be excluded from income-generating opportunities, especially in some of the participating countries, and yet you've seen it yourself that women seem to have the drive to really pursue their entrepreneurial ideas. I'm wondering if you specifically had someone or something that inspired you to want to be such an integral part of this project.
Kristine Vanderplas (07:35):
From a historical perspective, I worked years ago, I worked with an organization called Street Kids International, and it was all about supporting street kids. I mean, it was actually about supporting the social workers that worked with street kids to be able to support them to develop businesses as entrepreneurs. And I just saw how much transformation took place for these young people who were really living like day to day, hand to mouth and how much these skills gave them the confidence to start to plan and save and make decisions that ultimately created a more stable environment for them. And so that was sort of my first kind of interest in like how entrepreneurship can be something that young people can really use to support themselves, right. And one woman that I met, young woman that I met in Peru, for instance, she had a mentor and she wanted to create a laundry business in her community.
Kristine Vanderplas (08:38):
And she wanted to make it a green laundry business. And her mentor was like, "Well, it's gonna be more expensive, like, do you really need to do it that way?". [She] was almost trying to talk her out of it and she was very, she had a very strong conviction that she really wanted to make this laundry business green. And then on top of that, she realized if it was green, she could then use the water to like water her garden. I mean, it's very dry in Lima. So that meant that she could grow more vegetables and she could feed her family better through the vegetables. And so it was, you know, it's like these things were evolving naturally and so just felt like the next logical step to be bringing this concept, like very tangibly into the work that we're doing and the skills that we're sharing.
Rafia Ajmal (09:27):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>, yeah. It's great to hear that women are willing to take that risk, even if it may cost a bit more because they recognize the environmental impact of their project. A lot of things in the world are changing and adapting right now, especially with the climate and environment and I think it's a really crucial time to make those changes. Why do you think it's such a critical time for YCI to be focusing on social entrepreneurship above all else?
Kristine Vanderplas (09:55):
Yeah. I mean, part of the reason that we decided to focus on social entrepreneurship, I mean, I personally really feel that business can be supportive and have a positive impact on people and planet. And I think that the current system doesn't necessarily reward that, although things are starting to shift and it's even, I even have a little bit of a hard time with the term social enterprise. Like, what I would love to see eventually is that business does consider positive effects on people and planet, that it is, that that's just how we do business in the world. And so I think for me, part of what is exciting about this project is when we're working with young women, we're introducing this concept that you need to be able to create a livelihood for yourself and we're gonna try to help you as much as we can in terms of like the skills and resources that you need to do that. And also that it's possible to be considering how your business is impacting people and planet.
Rafia Ajmal (10:57):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>, yeah. I can see how passionate you are about social entrepreneurship and empowering people and planet and I can only imagine how hard it was to watch so much hard work and progress be affected by the pandemic, but in your experience so far, how has COVID affected the vision of the project?
Kristine Vanderplas (11:18):
Yeah, it's been really interesting obviously for everyone on the planet <laugh> at this time. The project is, you know, funded by Global Affairs Canada through the Volunteer Cooperation Program, so there is a very strong Canadian volunteer component, as you're aware, because you've been engaged as a fellow <laugh> in this project. And normally what would happen in these projects is that young Canadians would travel to the countries where we're partnering with other organizations and where we're doing this work, and obviously that's not possible. So there really, we, in terms of like the overarching vision of the project, it's remained the same, but we've certainly had to adapt the approach and the way that we're doing the work for a number of reasons. So, you know, obviously travel is a big one in terms of we've adapted to like an e-volunteering, e-fellowship model, which seems to be working fairly well. I mean, obviously there's limitations to that. The other piece that's been challenging obviously is like within each country, people are dealing with the effects of the pandemic. In some cases, it means that people have potentially even a less secure livelihood, which actually means that, you know, the training and resources that we're supporting are potentially even more needed at this moment.
Rafia Ajmal (12:39):
Mm-hmm, <affirmative>, it's nice to hear that even though it's been really hard on everyone and the planet, like you said, there have been some benefits in that communication has become slightly easier. Just before we wrap up here, what do you consider the ultimate goal by the end of the seven years? You talked about mentorship and empowerment for these women, but what is the ultimate goal of the HerStart project once the whole thing has concluded?
Kristine Vanderplas (13:11):
That's a good question. As I mentioned, we are looking to support 10,000 young women with access to resources and skills around social entrepreneurship over these seven years, but it also includes enhancing and supporting the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in each of these geographies. So that means working with partner organizations, and then also creating like bridges and networks that will increase access for young women to additional resources and supports that they need to continue their journey with their business and continue to grow, to grow their business. And so it's also looking at how we can develop strong mentorship networks, drive awareness for social entrepreneurship, for doing business for good, for the positive impacts that business can have within these communities. And ultimately we want to ensure that these resources and supports do become sustainable and more accessible. And at the completion of the seven years is that our partners can continue to engage young women with trainings and programs for many years to come. And ultimately that young women do have more access to the resources and supports that they need. And at the end of the day, we really hope to see, you know, hundreds of women, if not thousands launch or grow their businesses and for those business activities to have a positive impact on people and the planet.
Rafia Ajmal (14:42):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>, yeah, that's really exciting. So I guess I'm wanting to know what role Canadians can play in accelerating the goals of this project. You sort of briefly mentioned that, but I'd love to learn a little more about that.
Kristine Vanderplas (14:58):
So there's several ways that Canadians can be involved and part of the intention of HerStart really is to engage Canadians in this, in this work and to engage Canadians in supporting young women and gender equality around the world, and especially for HerStart, in Ghana and Tanzania and Uganda. And so one way to get engaged is through the fellowship program, which offers young Canadians the opportunity to volunteer, at the moment virtually, to support, you know, participants, to support the young women who are starting businesses, to support our partners that we're collaborating with and to support our staff who are, you know, working extremely hard, snd I actually should give a shout-out to them because we have amazing staff in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. And the hope with the volunteer fellowship program is that in the near future, we will be able to travel.
Kristine Vanderplas (15:53):
And Canadian fellows will be able to join our teams in-person and to support participants and our partner organizations one-on-one. And then the other exciting opportunity to engage in HerStart is through the Catalyst Fund. So through the Catalyst Fund, we are hoping to raise additional funds to be able to support more young women in accessing funding to start or grow their business. And we're doing this through what we're calling circles of impact, which are basically going to be circles of people who agree to all put in a certain amount of money into the fund, which will then support a young woman's business startup. And so we'll be asking Canadians to ultimately support this access to finance for young women and the donation, your donation to the fund, will actually be matched by the Government of Canada. And if you want more details about the fellowship program or how to invest in HerStart in the Catalyst Fund, those are available at either yci.org or herstart.org.
Rafia Ajmal (17:01):
Well, Kristine, thank you so much for your time and insight today on this incredible project. We're really looking forward to following the journey of where the HerStart project leads and seeing the amazing work that YCI is doing along the way.
Outro (17:22):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Emily McDonald, HerStart Climate Action and Entrepreneurship E-Fellow, speaks with Taylor Marlow, Program and Partnerships Lead at YCI and Ellen Martin, Co-Founder of SoJo – one of the HerStart design and delivery partners. They discuss the program approach and key elements more in-depth, including the entrepreneurship training designed by SoJo and how volunteer HerStart Fellows support the program.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Emily McDonald (01:36):
Hello everyone and thank you for tuning into the HerStory podcast. My name is Emily and I am currently a Climate Action and Entrepreneurship Fellow currently in Ontario, but I get the amazing opportunity to work with the HerStart team in Ghana. So today on the show, I am sitting with Taylor Marlow and Ellen Martin. Taylor is the Program and Partnership lead at YCI and Ellen is the Director at SoJo. So to get us started, Ellen, for those who aren't familiar with Sojo, could you tell us a bit more about SoJo and what was your inspiration behind starting it?
Ellen Martin (02:08):
Yeah, thanks Emily. Happy to be here. So SoJo, we got started about seven years ago and we're really on a mission to unlock the potential of the next generation of social entrepreneurs globally. Uh, so the way that we do that is working in partnership with organizations like YCI, projects like HerStart to develop training and support programs for mostly young aspiring social entrepreneurs. So what inspired me to get started with SoJo, I really saw, you know, a lot of young people, um, kind of feeling a little bit helpless about, um, some of the issues that they were seeing in the world, but also very passionate about making the world a better place seeing improvement in their community, and so wanted to start Sojo as a platform to really provide those young people with passion, with the tools and resources that they need to turn that passion into action through social entrepreneurship.
Emily McDonald (03:19):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think the one thing I've learned from working from this project is there's no shortage of young passionate people out there. So you'd already talked a little bit about working with other organizations, but what really stood out to you with working with the HerStart initiative and really create a positive impact for participants and their communities?
Ellen Martin (03:40):
What drew us to work on HerStart, I think is a couple of factors. Um, over the last several years we've been working with more targeted communities. Um, so women as a community of people, um, being one kind of focus and I'm quite passion about gender issues and working with young women so that was definitely a factor. I think we are also always really excited about projects that are supporting people and young people specifically, who are very close to the challenges in their communities that they're wanting to address. So HerStart's goal is to work with young women who, for various reasons in their lives potentially face significant barriers to employment or starting enterprises, but they are also, you know, very close to the kinds of challenges in their community that they wanna address through their enterprises.
Emily McDonald (04:42):
Yeah, absolutely, that like kind of lived experience, I think, is really important for when you're walking into any kind of situation that you wanna address. Speaking of HerStart, Taylor, would you like to tell us a bit more about what your role with the HerStart initiative is?
Taylor Marlow (04:57):
Yeah, so my role with HerStart is essentially overseeing the fellowship programs. So we have currently the Canadian e-fellowship program where Canadians are volunteering their time remotely for the program. And we have a national fellowship program in each country as well, so in Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana, there's local young people volunteering their time on the project as well. So overseeing those components and working with the staff and partners in each country to ensure those are successful and meaningfully integrated into the project.
Emily McDonald (05:33):
Yeah, it's been really kind of exciting for me as a fellow to certainly kind of be involved with the HerStart program. But one of the things that I would be interested to know is, I'm here as a cohort three iteration, but I'd be curious to know kind of what brought the HerStart project to life and kind of what factors were involved in turning this from an idea into an action and really what role do myself as a fellow and other fellows play in that.
Taylor Marlow (05:57):
Yeah. Great question. So essentially the program is part of the Volunteer Cooperation Program, so we're funded through that program stream within the Global Affairs Canada network. And yeah, the ultimate outcome that we're working towards in the whole program is to contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls around the world. But, you know, as the name Volunteer Cooperation Program implies, we are working with volunteers as a key stakeholder in order to do that. So a big part of the program and a goal of the program is to provide meaningful opportunities for skilled Canadians and others to volunteer their time. So we have really, yeah, been working with volunteers at YCI for over 30 years in different programs. This includes EQWIP HUBs, which some people might have heard of before. We also have an Innovate ME internship program that's been running for a few years, and we've really learned from that experience how we can meaningfully engage volunteers in development work in other countries and engage them in the project in order to reach that ultimate outcome.
Emily McDonald (07:16):
Yeah, absolutely. And not only has it been kind of a great public engagement tool, but it's also a really incredible learning opportunity for anyone who's interested. One of the things that I find really interesting is that you're under kind of this umbrella of volunteer cooperation, but it's not called a volunteer program it's called a fellowship program. So I'd just be kind of curious why that title and why is that the case with YCI and the HerStart initiative?
Taylor Marlow (07:40):
Yeah, great question. So that's something that we had a lot of discussions around in the planning stages of the program early last year, but we decided to call it a fellowship program rather than a volunteer program in a really intentional way, because we wanted to highlight the importance of the participants, their personal and professional development that they would gain through their engagement with HerStart. So this involves things like really, you know, developing high-quality trainings and resources with subject matter experts, such as Ellen and the SoJo team, ensuring there are really meaningful placements with a focus on learning and development, and providing different networking opportunities so that throughout their placements, all of the fellows are able to become part of this global network of like-minded people who can support them beyond the length of their placements, that they'll be part of this community and network for years to come.
Taylor Marlow (08:41):
So, yeah, it's something that we did intentionally to try to attract the right people as well. We really want people who are bringing previous knowledge and skills to the table that they want to further apply and learn more about in these contexts and who will be really highly committed to their role in the program, since they do play a really key piece in the HerStart program. We wanted to make sure that we designed an offer for them, where they will be really committed and, yeah, work closely with us in order to reach our really ambitious goals in the HerStart project.
Emily McDonald (09:17):
Yeah, absolutely. And I think the thing that I have really loved about being a fellow myself is that through kind of this learning and development, you kind of get the chance to really make your fellowship your own in terms of what are the key learning goals that you want to achieve, which I think is really exciting for anyone who's looking for a really unique opportunity to engage with international development. So one of the things that's really stood out for me in this program is the really close ties that HerStart initiative has with local in-country organizations. So could you shed some insight onto why this program involves partnerships with those local organizations?
Ellen Martin (09:54):
I'm happy to jump in around this. I mean, from our perspective, partnerships with local organizations are absolutely essential to the overall program success and program model, but in the context of HerStart, you know, in particular, the local partners play a really important role in providing deep community connections. So when we're trying to engage women in a program like HerStart offers, really important that there's a strong understanding of the kind of social and cultural context with every specific community that the program is being implemented in. So local partners really bring networks with local leaders, deep relationships and that strong understanding of the dynamics of that community. You know, they also bring really interesting expertise, so each partner has kind of a different focus or skillset. Some organizations with a really strong gender focus and other organizations that, you know, have really interesting financing tools for entrepreneurs as part of their offerings.
Ellen Martin (11:11):
So this combination of really complementary skillsets helps augment the overall impact that HerStart can have, you know. And finally, of course, you know, local partnerships, I think play a really big role in the sustained impact of an initiative like HerStart. It's quite a dream in a way to have a seven-year project, you know, I think that's quite rare. But at the end of the day, it's the local partners who, you know, will take up and continue this work long beyond the end of the seven years we hope.
Taylor Marlow (11:48):
Yeah, and I'll jump in and just say, yeah, with their strong knowledge and experience in those different thematic areas of the program, like Ellen mentioned things like climate, gender, youth engagement, the experience and knowledge that they are bringing to the table is extremely helpful in supporting the other stakeholders in the program as well. So in HerStart, we're really trying to foster this cross-cultural exchange across different stakeholders, so staff, partners, fellows in Canada and in the other program countries, and really, yeah, utilizing their knowledge and experience to teach each other and support each other in this global community that are trying to tackle these really, really big topics and challenges.
Emily McDonald (12:35):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when chatting with our Gender Equality Fellow in Ghana, Gifty who lives in Ghana, she's from Ghana, she has a deep kind of understanding of those dynamics that both Ellen and Taylor, you were both mentioning, and one of the things that she did mention when it comes to some of these larger issues is the fact that within households, there is kind of this dominant patriarchal structure, especially when it comes to money. So when we're talking about economic empowerment as part of this project, and as part of this sustained impact, what are some things that you hope that this project is able to do in terms of tackling that power imbalance that exists in these homes? And what are some tangible steps to take in order to kind of get closer to that ultimate goal that HerStart has of equality and economic empowerment?
Ellen Martin (13:26):
Asking the tough questions, Emily <laugh> yeah, big questions <laugh> yeah. You know, some of the things that come to mind for me, there is this, you know, balanced approach between direct implementation, which is, you know, the delivery of a program, a training program to build the skills of aspiring entrepreneurs and the kind of systems-level changes that are required in order to achieve that ultimate impact goal. Certainly from a training perspective, you know, we're trying to integrate the inclusion of skills and attitudes and knowledge that go beyond really fundamental, like business skills to broader self-confidence, empowerment, even skills like negotiation and being able to be supported in decision-making. So trying to develop these like broader skills among participants is certainly one of the focuses. And we've been working through a process we've called the human-centered design lab with HerStart staff where some of the, kind of, key questions around how to engage more of those systems-level stakeholders, a lot of focus on how to meaningfully engage families and the men in women's lives in supporting their business journey and also supporting household responsibilities and really making space for young women to be able to fully participate and grow a business.
Ellen Martin (15:08):
Taylor, I'd love to hear what your perspective is on this as well.
Taylor Marlow (15:12):
Yeah, no, that was a really great start to that really difficult question. And like Ellen is saying, it's something that us as staff and, you know, with partners and fellows, we talk about all the time and are really, you know, trying to make space to have these open, honest conversations about these really challenging and complex systemic issues, and how can we maybe make a dent in them through this project over the course of the seven years? So, yeah, I think even just making room for these conversations with participants themselves as well is like a really big step, like making this space in these communities for women to be able to interact with one another and, you know, reflect on what types of support or what barriers they are facing and how they can learn and support each other I think is really important.
Taylor Marlow (16:09):
And something that we're already seeing come out of the program, which is pretty cool. So yeah, making space for role models and, you know, creating those communities of support like Ellen was saying. There are women of course, challenging patriarchy and overcoming these barriers or obstacles in each of these communities already. So, you know, identifying those women, bringing them to the table, empowering other women to also see how they could overcome these challenges is really important and something that HerStart is trying to do through the role of mentorship and peer-to-peer support within each cohort of participants that go through our programs. And where YCI and the program comes in is really providing that additional training, resources, money is a huge barrier, so providing the financial support that women might not be able to access and can obviously benefit from in order to achieve their goals and move their businesses forward.
Emily McDonald (17:12):
Yeah, and I think sometimes it's sometimes overlooked how important it is to kind of create that safe space to have those conversations, and for women especially to be able to form those relationships and friendships and role models that can be really, really important in these projects like this. The program is kind of quite early into the seven years, so when you both kind of reflect on the project so far, how have you seen women progress throughout the program? So kind of where they had started and where they are now.
Ellen Martin (17:45):
Mm-hmm <affirmative> yes, as you say, it's pretty early days, but I actually was just having a conversation with one of the Partnership and Training Coordinators in Uganda, and she was sharing her excitement at the fact that one of the people who just recently completed the Seed your Social Venture program, so that second program, she came back to a Sparking Social Innovation training, which is the first program, and shared that people in her community are referring to her now as a change-maker. And Lillian was just so proud of this kind of like full circle story. So for only, you know, being really a year, less than a year into actually delivering programs, those kinds of stories are yeah, really, really exciting.
Emily McDonald (18:38):
I am so excited to kind of see at the end of the seven years, what comes out of it, because I think the HerStart program is truly a testament to the importance of having that passion, those right tools and kind of anything is possible. The story of the change-maker also warms my heart, it's so fantastic to see the impact that these participants can have on their community. It's beautiful.
Ellen Martin (18:58):
Yeah, it really is. Yeah.
Emily McDonald (19:00):
So I think it's really clear from our conversation that we are individuals who are passionate about social justice and social entrepreneurship, but for those who are listening, for any one who's listening who also shares kind of some of those same passions, but may feel slightly overwhelmed with kind of tackling these large issues, like the climate crisis and the patriarchy and even issues around funding. I really think we talked about before, but the HerStart story is a testament that with a positive attitude and a lot of drive, success is very possible. So could you talk about some of the actionable steps someone could take to kind of start their journey of impact, whether that be on the local community or even global level?
Taylor Marlow (19:43):
Yeah, I mean, from a volunteer lens, they can definitely get involved in HerStart or similar programs in their communities. You know, there are are so many organizations using young people's energy, passion and commitment to these issues to take action, so I do encourage people to look into opportunities that match with their interests and passions. But yeah, it has been really incredible to see already how many people have been really excited by the HerStart program and have been involved in it, so already we've seen over 300 applications for the e-fellowship program alone. So we're only going into cohort four and we've only had, you know, 35 available positions, but we've seen 10 times the amount of applicants. So that tells me that yeah, people are really interested and really passionate about these topics and want to take action.
Taylor Marlow (20:43):
So seeking out those opportunities and, you know, getting involved in ways that work with your schedule and your availability and your interests, just seeing that that's entirely possible, I hope is a good first step. Really learning from people like you, Emily, who, you know, sought out this program and have really been dedicated to contribute your time and energy to it is something that's really motivating and inspiring for me as well, but I hope it makes it feel possible for other people. I know young people can often feel like, like you said, unsure of where to start or where to go, but I think there's more and more opportunities being created for young people to get involved in this sector and in this space, particularly during the pandemic, being able to get involved remotely has been something that's been really interesting for us to experiment with and learn from, you know, shifting what was supposed to be an in-person travel international placement program to a remote e-volunteering or e-fellowship program has been a really interesting journey for us to learn from how we can meaningfully engage Canadians who aren't able to travel for various reasons, whether their schedule or life situation doesn't allow it, but are still really passionate about these issues.
Taylor Marlow (22:08):
So that's something that's been really cool to see across, you know, all sectors really in all issues is how organizations and individuals are adapting to the conditions of the pandemic to get creative and how you can volunteer, you know, with a country like Ghana, like you are Emily, from your home in Canada has been really interesting to learn across the sector and something that I think we'll find ways to continue to do in meaningful ways in the future. So yeah, I'd say the first step is just realizing that there are those opportunities out there, if you put in the time and energy to search and find them and, you know, network with other people, LinkedIn is a great tool for that, like find out what is out there and how you can get involved from the comfort of your home. You don't always have to actually be able to travel in order to make a real difference on these issues.
Emily McDonald (23:04):
Yeah, absolutely. You don't even need to like necessarily put on jeans either, which can be a benefit of working from home. Uh, and yeah, I think, I mean, Taylor, you're totally right. For me, what has been so wonderful as a fellow of the HerStart program is just how much my eyes have been opened up to the opportunities, even beyond HerStart, just by connecting with other fellows, having those really interesting conversations. It's been really incredible to know kind of what opportunities even lay beyond the HerStart Fellowship. Thank you both so much for being on the show and on the podcast today and explaining your roles and some of the biggest challenges as well as kind of what are those steps that HerStart is taking for this initiative to become a success. We all want to see so many women succeed on their entrepreneurial endeavors and I think this project is an incredible step in the right direction.
Outro (24:01):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Sabrina Maulid, HerStart Climate Action and Entrepreneurship Fellow, speaks with Neema Kihwelo, Program and Training Coordinator with YCI in Tanzania and Esmond Quansah, Country Project Lead in Ghana. They discuss the main challenges with developing social entrepreneurship in their countries and how YCI’s HerStart program helps address these issues to create a positive impact for young women and their communities.
Intro (00:06):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Sabrina Maulid (01:38):
Hi everyone and thank you for tuning into HerStory podcast. My name is Sabrina Maulid and with us today, we have Neema Kihwelo and Esmond Quansah. Neema is a Program and Training Coordinator at YCI Zanzibar and Esmond is a YCI Project Lead for Ghana. Welcome and thank you for all coming to be here.
Esmond Quansah (01:59):
Thank you very much for the opportunity.
Neema Kihwelo (02:01):
Thank you for having us.
Sabrina Maulid (02:02):
You're welcome. In this episode, we want to know more about the participant countries of HerStart. I will ask, Esmond, can you please tell us a bit about the context in Ghana in regards to livelihoods and gender equality?
Esmond Quansah (02:21):
Yeah. So in Ghana, the situation around gender equality and livelihood is not different from other countries. A lot of young people, they don't have jobs. Some spend so much time schooling, but at the end of the day, there are no jobs. Currently, there was a job fair by the government to recruit only 300 positions, but it turn out that over 60,000 young graduate turnouts. In the area of gender equality has been a long fight, but yes, still there's a lot to be done. A lot of young women and young girls in particular do not have equal and similar opportunities as their male counterparts. So this has been really a challenge, but with the effort of development partners, like Youth Challenge International and others, there has been remarkable feats in that area.
Sabrina Maulid (03:22):
Thank you so much, Mr. Esmond for your good answer. Neema, you're the Program and Training Coordinator at YCI in Zanzibar. Can you tell us more about the training processes for these young women participating, especially the SSI part?
Neema Kihwelo (03:41):
So right from the start in the beginning, our training processes, we try to be as inclusive and attuned to the challenges that young women face. So right from the recruitment phase, we try to be as gender sensitive from the beginning, incorporating local leaders in the community in order to reach the most marginalized young women in our society. We are looking for young women who have, who are willing and they're ready to take up on this training process. Our training is in three tiers, starting with the Sparking Social Innovation. It aims to ignite and also create awareness of the concepts of social enterprise, but also to bring about a growth mindset in the young women, that they too have a space to contribute, to bring a change within their communities through social enterprise. After the Sparking Social Innovation, the second level is the Seed Your Social Venture, which takes place over eight weeks.
Neema Kihwelo (04:45):
And it aims to build young women competencies to bring their business idea to launch. And then after the eight-week training, we go into the third phase, which is the Grow Your Social Venture. And here we're looking to create a supportive ecosystem for these women-led ventures, for those ideas that have come into launch. And it's more of the final nurturing phase, six months of training, but also personalized coaching for the young women and looking into forming an ecosystem where they can successfully grow their social ventures. And this also links into funding and all other challenges that have been identified that inhibit young women into setting up and growing their own social ventures.
Sabrina Maulid (05:34):
Okay, thank you so much for the beautiful answer, Neema. But can you please tell us, how do you support these young women, who are marginalized and illiterate at the same time? Because one of the criteria for SSI participants is for them to be literate, like knowing how to read and how to write. How do you support these kind of young women?
Neema Kihwelo (06:01):
We do adopt a participatory style of coaching and training, so if you do notice that a participant may be struggling, we do give extra support to the young women. I think also as the training goes, I would say, for example, in the Seed Your Social Venture, in the Grow Your Social Venture, they now get mentoring and also one-on-one support. A big part of our training is holistic and we do look at the barriers that the young women face and see how best we can support them through this. And additionally, I would say we also focus on a growth mindset. One of the basic criterias is they just need to know how to read and write. So we focus on also building a growth mindset with them and tackling those limiting barriers that they may have.
Sabrina Maulid (06:51):
Thank you. Mr. Esmond, we know that funding is the biggest issue for lot of NGOs, especially in Africa. How is HerStart addressing the systematic barrier of funding and access to capital, which is one of the key barriers to successful entrepreneurship for women?
Esmond Quansah (07:12):
Yeah, so HerStart has been an amazing program designed to support young people with challenges of startup. We saw the HerStart project as an opportunity for a lot more young people to benefit. So the young people, the women and the girls who would participate in the SYSV, Seed Your Social Venture program, who have the opportunity to apply a Catalyst Fund that will support their social ventures. Currently, the successful participant will be given a minimum of $5,000 Canadian dollars to support these young women and girls who have very successful and innovative ideas, who go a long way to bridge the gender gap, and also provide them the necessary resources to support.
Sabrina Maulid (08:05):
Thank you, Mr. Esmond. One of the biggest, or one of the supports, which for social entrepreneurship to work in the country is government. So if the government does not support, it can be a challenge. So can you tell us about your countries? What other challenge do social entrepreneurship face in your respective countries? Starting with Neema.
Neema Kihwelo (08:32):
So I think the biggest challenge in developing or in social entrepreneurship in our country, I would say, it's still a fairly new concept. You know, the government supports entrepreneurship and does want to see the youth taking up space in alternate means of employment. So I think one of the biggest challenges we face is well instituted ecosystem that could actually support these social entrepreneurs from ideation rights to, you know, launch of their businesses. I think that's the biggest challenge, that social entrepreneurship isn't a well-established concept yet within the country.
Sabrina Maulid (09:11):
Thank you. Well, Neema, you are working with young women, like you are training them, you are guiding them, you are giving them all the supports during the training session. You're the one who teach them and you're the one who evaluate them on the training. So can you please tell us on the business idea you have seen them taking off?
Neema Kihwelo (09:33):
Yeah, so an area that has been really strong, I think, has been recycling. We do have a young woman who, just from the two-day training, went back into her community and started a business. So they go around and collect waste from their community and get a fee for that. So this is one business idea that has taken off and was still in the process of molding it and setting it up as a full social enterprise.
Sabrina Maulid (10:01):
Thank you. The pandemic has affected everyone in this world and I know that it has affected this project too. It has affected both positively and negatively. From the training to the ability for women to conduct their businesses, have any women addressed their businesses, opened new business opportunity, or have any of you introduced, have they tell you anything about how they they've taken this COVID as an opportunity? Especially for both of you.
Esmond Quansah (10:39):
Yeah. So, COVID situation from last year to this year, especially during the lockdown period has taught us very key lessons, what we have learned and this survey that we've done among the young women who are enrolling in our program in the HerStart program. So what has come to light is that businesses that incorporate IT are able to make a lot of gains during the lockdown period, using the social media and LinkedIn and other profiles, to be able to market their product and sell online. And that is something that we've all learned. While some businesses could not succeed in the period because of lack of innovation and incorporation of tech in their businesses, those who are very smart were able to do that and they made a lot of gains, which was a blessing more in disguise for a lot of people.
Esmond Quansah (11:53):
And this is what the HerStart program is teaching a lot of these young people, how they can think outside the box, how they can incorporate IT. A very key part of the HerStart programming is the IT bits, so that they're able to make a lot more gains during this period. And this is something that has come to light and a lot of them are taking advantage of this even during this period to make quite very good gains and also incorporate this tech into their business ideas for the future, because we don't know how long COVID is going to be with us. So I think we just have to, as a people, and especially these young people who are key beneficiaries of the HerStart initiative, to think outside the box and include tech in their ideas and that way they'll be able to achieve a lot more success in the foreseeable future. Thank you.
Neema Kihwelo (12:51):
I think I agree with Esmond. I think on our end, it's more of with Zanzibar being a tourist-centered community, for many young women, I think they had to adjust, especially in the period where the country was not in lockdown, but there were fewer people coming. So, now how do they look for new markets? And I think, as everyone said, incorporation of tech has been a key part for most of them and I think even when you see them communicating within sessions, there are those who took the steps and opened pages online where they could continue selling their products. So I think that it has been a strong area where they have had to adapt.
Sabrina Maulid (13:43):
Thank you, Neema. Coming back to Mr. Esmond with the question, as you know, that maintaining ongoing support for these young women, even after they have completed the program, how does HerStart approach the ideas of networking, coaching and connection to improve the sustainability of the trainings and promote successful entrepreneurship ventures for us HerStart graduates?
Esmond Quansah (14:11):
So the idea is to identify ecosystem that would support these young women in the foreseeable future once the project is over. And also YCI's strategy to implement a partnership sustainability plan is a win-win situation for these young girls and women who will be beneficiaries or who will go through the program. We have so many young women who need support, but we cannot provide all the support that these young women need in the area of funding. So there's already an engagement within the ecosystem to see how they can identify other alternative sources of funding to support successful and very brilliant business ideas in the foreseeable future. Also working with the partners to identify mentors and coaches within the ecosystem. Currently, we've been able to integrate into our trainings in Ghana, entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs who come to share their ideas, their background, stories to motivate these young people and this has been very remarkable. And so we are sure that with all these strategies of partner sustainability plan, engaging the ecosystem, we are very much sure that this initiative will continue beyond 2027 for these young women and girls to continue benefiting.
Sabrina Maulid (15:46):
Thank you, Mr. Esmond, but can you tell us more on how are you going to help these people like the dropouts from the SSI trainings? How are they going to benefit? Because they are part of the HerStart young ladies, how are you going to help them? On the other hand for those people who have no criteria to join the HerStart project, how are they going to benefit? Like how young ladies in the country going to benefit generally from HerStart, whether you are a participant or not a participant?
Esmond Quansah (16:18):
Yeah, so with the dropouts, it's something that we are very much concerned. And currently one of the fellows has conducted a micro project on that, to ascertain the challenges leading to the dropout. There has been quite an amazing result which have to do with lack of spousal support. Most of them are married and they don't have the support from their husbands and their family members. Most of them have children, but we have childcare services available for these young people. We are also providing them with meals that would serve as a barrier for them not to come to training. We are going extra mile begin to engage these young people. It's quite difficult for some families to comprehend the fact that young women have to go for training to a livelihood. There's that general thinking in this part of Ghana that women are supposed to work from the kitchen, you know? And so these are some of the things that we are trying to work towards by providing some sort of education to these young people. And so, as we speak, we are reaching out we've compiled a list of all those that have dropped out and then we are following up with them. We are calling them to come back to join the next sessions of the training, which is something remarkable the team in Ghana has been working towards.
Sabrina Maulid (17:37):
Thank you so much for your answer. I love it. I love the way you support all women, all young women, especially. Thank you. You're making it lively and making it working. Thank you for being here both of you. Thank you for your beautiful answers. I love the way you tackle women's challenges. Thank you everyone for showing me to this podcast. Thank you so much for participating. I wish you all the best and good evening. Thank you.
Outro (18:16):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Cindy Lee, HerStart Monitoring and Evaluation E-Fellow, speaks with Laura Perez Gonzalez, HerStart Research & Insights E-Fellow for Tanzania and Gifty Osei Boateng, HerStart Gender Equality & Entrepreneurship Fellow in Ghana about their experience volunteering with YCI’s HerStart Innovate the Future program, including the key skills they’ve learned and advice they have for future fellows.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Cindy Lee (01:35):
Hello! On today's episode of HerStory, we're chatting with some volunteers from both Canada and Ghana. So we have Laura who was the Research and Insights Fellow from the previous cohort, Cohort 2. And we have Gifty who is a Gender Equality Fellow for the current cohort, and we'll tell you about our role with the HerStart project. So, hi Laura, can you please introduce yourself? And Gifty, can you please introduce yourself as well?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (02:00):
Yeah, so thank you for having me. So my name is Laura, and like you mentioned, I was a Research and Insights Fellow for Cohort 2 and so my work focused on Tanzania specifically. And so together we supported some of the projects with SoJo to help learn a little bit more about the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Tanzania and Zanzibar specifically.
Gifty Osei Boateng (02:20):
Okay, yes, I'm Gifty Osei Boateng, I am the Gender Equality and Entrepreneurship Fellow for Ghana.
Cindy Lee (02:28):
Interesting. So can you tell me a little bit more about why you decided to get involved and why you specifically chose the role that you're in?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (02:37):
Yeah, so I am very passionate about women's empowerment and education, particularly. So I was really interested in the opportunity because, well, with COVID like everything was pretty much closed. And so this being a remote opportunity definitely seemed interesting and an opportunity to be able to practice international development to the extent that I could at that time.
Gifty Osei Boateng (02:59):
Okay, yes. Naturally, I've been the kind of lady who wants to see a lot of women empowered. So I gave birth to my second child and I had to babysit and do mother work for a whole year, so I was out of the office workspace for a whole year. So I saw the HerStart project ad on the internet - volunteer for four months. So I decided to go in for the Gender Equality and Entrepreneurship Fellow because previously I was working on women and educating the girl child. Ghana has a problem where a lot of children are forced into early marriages. So my previous project, we were working to stop those things and encourage the young girls to go to school instead. So that motivated me a lot to apply for the Gender Equality Fellow to at least push me back to the office space since I've been in the house for a very long time and also learn and grow so that I'll be able to fit into a wider space next time, so that motivated me to apply.
Cindy Lee (04:10):
Thank you. So you mentioned that you wanted to go back to the office setting. So that's interesting because for me mostly when I was doing my fellowship, it was mostly remote, so I was stuck at home. And working remotely for me I found some challenges and benefits. So I actually wanted to dig a little deeper into that and ask how that experience was and the benefits you saw. Like I know that you mentioned being able to collaborate with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds. Would you say there were any other benefits that you wanted to highlight?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (04:52):
Yeah, I think initially the challenge is not really knowing how it's going to work out because all you can really see is just your screen and that's the extent that you're able to participate in many ways. So I think like first adapting to that, and then also like the time zones can be a little tricky sometimes because we also have like daylight savings time and so that puts us an extra hour either ahead or behind from the country that we're working with, and so then meetings can be pretty early. So trying to do outreach was initially challenging because everybody's busy, so everybody has their own schedules as well. And so the time difference played a little bit into that, but I think it was really fun overall. Just the fact that you can connect with somebody who is at the other side of the world while you're working from your own room is pretty cool.
Laura Perez Gonzalez (05:36):
And I think like how that became the norm in some ways, it's kind of cool to reflect on that, but I think like being able to collaborate, like I said, with people who are as passionate as you are about the same topics is really interesting and really cool just to be able to share ideas and share that knowledge and support each other professionally and personally, as you grow through the four months, that was the fellowship for me. But you definitely learn a lot and you get to hone in on certain skills that you wanna specifically tailor. So like I did some monitoring and evaluation through different projects, but I also did a lot of research. And so it was really interesting and different concepts that you're also introduced to. And then you get the opportunity to kind of learn more about them on your own, through the support of YCI and through the HerStart fellowship as well.
Gifty Osei Boateng (06:22):
Yes. Initially the only challenge is the internet because, having to connect, sometimes you'll be in the meeting, everything is going on, then the internet cuts out. That's the only challenge. Apart from that, we were able to impact, although we do not see each other physically, but we were able to impact collaborating with Maria Malik in Canada, through WhatsApp, through Slack and through Google Meet and all those things made me connect with her, although we weren't in touch physically. I've learned a lot. And also with my colleagues here, we have to move from the office, from the home and come to office, stay here till 5:00 PM and go back. They become your family.
Cindy Lee (07:13):
Yeah, for sure. And I appreciate you mentioning like the different communication platforms that we were able to use. I think conversations on Slack, email, we even had a WhatsApp chat group. So I think we figured out different ways to manage that challenge and made it easier for all of us to collaborate. And I do agree with that point about having to figure out time zone and everything, I think that was certainly a challenge. At first I remember going like, what 4:00 PM GMT? Like what time is that in Canada? I have to do I have to Google it, I have to do my calculations, but now I'm like, oh, it's 12:00 PM. I know it like right on top of my head. So I think after practice, it's definitely a challenge that we can all overcome and like the benefits of connecting with other people from all over the world definitely outweighs the challenge, I guess. And Laura, you mentioned how you got to work on your personal professional skills that you were able to develop with the HerStart program. So can you explain a little bit more about that and what some of your personal goals were in this volunteer program?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (08:25):
Yeah, for sure. So I think initially I was really interested in learning more about gender analysis and also more about monitoring and evaluation. And so as a Research Fellow, I was able to practice some of those skills through my personal learning plan and through the micro-projects and through communities of practice. For their research, it was a little bit more catered to practicing like interview skills and human-centered design, which is really cool and really fun to learn about as well and how to analyze data in that way, which is really interesting and definitely something that's different from the academic background that I come from. So being able to get a sense of research through different lens was really great. And then through specific skills that I was interested in, the beginning of the fellowship, yeah so monitoring and evaluation and gender analysis.
Laura Perez Gonzalez (09:10):
Those were really important to me and I think like being able to share those thoughts with different fellows and learn from the national fellows as well, what gender concepts look like in practice in the different countries and then being able to have those conversations in like a safe space, but also with people that are eager to learn is definitely very fruitful and definitely like a very welcoming environment. And I think being remote does have its challenges, but it's also an opportunity to connect. And that's something that I think is very valuable about the fellowship is that everybody's passionate about these issues and these programs, but everybody also has a different perspective and a different background. And so it becomes a really great learning space and really supportive space as well. And so that's something that I really appreciate and took away from the fellowship, now a few months later.
Cindy Lee (09:54):
Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Yeah, for sure, and you mentioned how you were passionate about research and monitoring. I was a Monitoring, Evaluations and Learning Fellow, which was, it's like a new role that was introduced for this cohort. But coming from like an academic background, I found that a lot of my research skills were theory-based and not really practical and working with YCI and with the HerStart program, it gave me the opportunity to get more hands-on experience, and I think that was really important for my professional development, so I really appreciate you mentioning that point. I also wanted to touch upon, 'cause you mentioned a lot of collaborative space, inspiring environments and being inspired by fellow fellows, so during your time as a volunteer, I think we all had like a moment where we felt really inspired by the participants of this project. I remember during one training session, when we were divided into group settings to have a debate, I remember one fellow said something very specific that really changed my perspective and the way I thought of the problem. So I was wondering if you guys had any moments like that during your cohort that really inspired you?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (11:12):
Yeah, I can start. So for me it was definitely a lot of those moments because working with the fellow in Tanzania, I've never been to Tanzania before or Zanzibar, so I was, although I could do desk research and try to learn what was available online, it's definitely not the same as learning from the national fellow who was in Zanzibar and getting her perspective on different things. So there was definitely a lot of moments where she would say something that would kind of like make me reflect and rethink how I thought about, for example, like different perspectives of gender, different realities of gender that I didn't really necessarily think about living in Toronto, and so that was definitely like eye-opening. And then, like I said, like everybody had a different background and everybody's coming from a different academic background or just their lived experiences in each country or where they're actually from. So I think being able to share on those moments and then like just enrich the conversations and the way that we learn, in order to carry out the project and to support with the research and the different communities of practice and everybody else's role, I think was really, really helpful. And I think, yeah, definitely those moments of epiphany, like you mentioned, were really, quite common, but definitely really enjoyable as well.
Gifty Osei Boateng (12:23):
Yeah, also to me, this fellowship program really inspired me a lot, especially collaborating with my colleagues here. Although we are all from Ghana, we are from just different environments, different places with different perceptions, so coming together to work under one environment, I really learnt a lot from each of them. And also liasing with Maria, who is the e-fellow for Ghana, I had to collaborate with her to do a lot of things. So, she really inspired me a lot from that side, being a foreigner, shares her experience with her nephew. So it's really made me understand what I'm in for and really made me want more. Some really shared a lot of insight that made me realize, "So is this really happening in my country?". Some had some perception about the home that if the person starting the social enterprise their husband will not support, so all these perceptions were in most of the women, so it enlightened me and it made understand the importance of training these young women and giving them a sense of hope to start something on their own.
Cindy Lee (13:43):
Mm-hmm <affirmative> yeah, I agree. I think this fellowship working with like different colleagues from diverse backgrounds definitely gave me an opportunity to look at issues from a different lens. And growing up in Canada, I found that most of my thinking and learning was very Western-oriented. So I had to work mainly with Issa who was another Monitoring, Evaluations and Learning Fellow in Ghana, and that gave me a lot of opportunity for deeper conversations, for sure. So thank you guys for that. I also want to ask, to Laura first, what would you say to Canadians who are considering a volunteer experience with HerStart?
Laura Perez Gonzalez (14:31):
I would say just do it, I mean, obviously like you have to take into consideration like your different factors for everybody it'll be different, but I think it's definitely a great opportunity to just be able to connect, and just be able to engage with people who are passionate about the same things who are also curious, who are also excited to learn anything. The HerStart Fellowship definitely provides that opportunity through the actual training that you do beforehand, where you learn a little bit more about international development, doing research, learning evaluation. So you spend about those two first weeks just doing some training with them and being able to, like Gifty said, to kind of create that sense of like a community and working with different colleagues and perspectives, and being able to enjoy that together. I think it's very rare, but I think it's a really great opportunity when it does present itself. -
Cindy Lee (15:19):
Gifty, for volunteers who are looking into participating in the HerStart program in Ghana or Tanzania or Uganda, what would you say?
Gifty Osei Boateng (15:31):
Okay, I'll tell them to just go for it. It's a very enlightening experience. For just the four months, you really learn a lot. To me, it's like five years. <laugh> I've really developed personally, emotionally, teamwork - you just coordinate with everybody, you learn a lot. It'll help you learn how to be open-minded to accept new ideas from people. So my time with YCI, it's even paining me that I'm leaving. I wish I could stay and do a lot of work and learn more.
Cindy Lee (16:03):
So thank you, Laura and Gifty, for all your work with the HerStart project, it was really nice working alongside you and having this conversation with you. I think our conversation will definitely inspire our listeners to get involved, help recruit more Canadian and Ghanaian, Tanzanian and Ugandan volunteers with the HerStart project. So thank you all for being here. I think it was a great opportunity to wrap the cohort up.
Outro (16:38):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Grace Wumbei, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Hamida Iddrisu, founder of Hammy Comfort Décor, an environmentally responsible business that produces products from plastic waste and learns about her involvement in YCI’s HerStart program. They discuss the challenges that Hamida has overcome as a woman entrepreneur with a disability in Ghana and the opportunities she can now offer other women with disabilities in her community.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Grace Wumbei (01:37):
Hi everyone. My name is Grace Wumbei and I'm the Communications and Training Fellow with YCI Ghana. I'm chatting with Hamida Iddrisu about her growth enterprise. A growth enterprise is a business that generates significant earnings that are put back into the business to further expand and grow. Madam Hamida Iddrisu, thank you for being here today to share your business story with us.
Hamida Iddrisu (02:05):
Thank you. You're welcome.
Grace Wumbei (02:08):
To start off today's episode. I'd like to get to know you. A lot of our listeners have never been to Ghana, so can you paint us a picture of what your day-to-day life is like here?
Hamida Iddrisu (02:24):
I grew up in a standard family. So my grandmother raised me because my mom and dad wasn't together as a result of death. My grandmother stood on her grounds to make sure I educated and I'm a university graduate, but unemployed. So I decided not to be sitting down doing nothing. As a person with disability, my day-to-day activity is not easy, but I'm trying my best because in every disability, there is ability. That is what I believe.
Hamida Iddrisu (03:19):
I decided to find something which does not involve hard labour. As I was thinking about what to do, then I came up with an idea of recycling plastic waste into home decor products. An example of my products are pillows, arm rests, back rests, foot rests, pregnancy pillows and furnitures for offices. And then I make my products dense, so that when you lie on it and you get up or wake up, then it goes back to the normal shape. I have two people who are disabled to help me in doing this so that they wouldn't end up on the street begging. That is what I'm doing currently and I hope to expand it in future.
Grace Wumbei (04:20):
Wow. Indeed. In every disability, there is surely an ability. I really admire everything you've said. Even though the beginning was sad, you didn't continue being sad, but you worked things out to become great. So you use plastic waste to make pillows. So how do you make them, do you cut them into small pieces or like, how do you turn plastic waste into shapes?
Hamida Iddrisu (04:47):
Yes. For now I don't have a shredder. So I do it with local women or like I said, some true persons with disability like me and now we are using scissors to cut them, yes, before we process them. But then we have to wash it because we are picking it from different places, some in the ... and others in the manufacturing the ... So when they come, they're dirty, unless you wash them with detergents and dry them to be clean before we shred them.
Grace Wumbei (05:33):
Wow. Today is the first time I'm actually hearing about using plastic waste to make pillows. That's an innovative way of keeping Ghana clean. Wow. So how was, what are some of the challenges you faced when you were in school with a disability?
Hamida Iddrisu (05:51):
Okay. The challenges I faced, though my disability is in multiple disability. I'm limping on my left leg and then I have essential tremor, my body shakes. So, like writing in class was not easy for me, but I didn't experience any discrimination, just maybe few students, but not all. Now I'm still looking for a job though, but I'm doing the business.
Grace Wumbei (06:28):
Wow. It's great to know you didn't experience any discrimination because sometimes discrimination actually is the one that causes more harm.
Grace Wumbei (06:45):
We've heard from some other entrepreneurs that there can be some barriers in starting a business as women in Ghana. What is your experience with this like?
Hamida Iddrisu (06:55):
Okay. Some barriers are somtimes family are like, "You're a woman, you cannot do this, you cannot do that", and then sometimes women are not supposed to go to certain places alone. Yeah, especially when you are delivering your product, some places you don't have to go alone, you have to give to a delivering person or you get somebody to accompany you to go and deliver it.
Grace Wumbei (07:27):
Have you found any other outside factors to be particularly difficult with starting your business, whether that be the pandemic or other competitors in your area?
Hamida Iddrisu (07:37):
Yeah, the difficulties I find my brother is collecting the waste. Yes, my own self movement is difficult for me and I don't have a means of movement to go so I think that's my challenge.
Grace Wumbei (07:59):
The challenge is how you get the raw product that is the plastic waste. Wow. So tell us about your good plans for your business. Do you have currently any employees?
Hamida Iddrisu (08:13):
Yeah, I have two. And the local women who are washing and shredding are five. And I hope to expand it in future, my future plan is to have a rehabilitation center to employ more disabled like myself in order for them to earn a living instead of being a burden to their family. And I have gotten a little support. That is the reason why I am here.
Grace Wumbei (08:40):
Okay. I'm curious about who your main target audience is and who your customers are. As of right now, who do you sell to?
Hamida Iddrisu (08:51):
I sell to hotels. The foot rests are used by offices. And friends and family, even households, they buy.
Grace Wumbei (09:11):
So how are you able to sell them? Like how do you get people to be aware of what you do and how do you sell them to them?
Hamida Iddrisu (09:17):
Through friends, like reference and then social media.
Grace Wumbei (09:25):
Okay. So would you like to open a store or sell your product in a store?
Hamida Iddrisu (09:30):
Yes, I would like to open a store. So that I can display my products very well. Because currently I'm doing it in the house.
Grace Wumbei (09:42):
So mainly washing everything, cutting and everything is done in the house as of now?
Hamida Iddrisu (09:49):
Yes, it's done in the house.
Grace Wumbei (09:52):
Okay. So how does the space you work out of right now work for you?
Hamida Iddrisu (09:59):
Actually, it's quite challenging. It's not easy. And where to keep the raw material is a challenge and our place is not enough like that.
Grace Wumbei (10:12):
So it means because of where you are right now, you're unable to produce in large quantities. You only do when someone needs it like an order?
Hamida Iddrisu (10:21):
Yeah, yes.
Grace Wumbei (10:23):
Okay. So what is your biggest cost right now?
Hamida Iddrisu (10:27):
My biggest cost is the production and the delivery. Yes, because when you are going to deliver to a client, you need to look for a delivering service and then the price is always high, so.
Grace Wumbei (10:45):
Okay. So what are your main goals? Let's say by the end of 2022, what is your main goal?
Hamida Iddrisu (10:54):
By the end of 2022, I wish to have enough place to be able to produce and display my product.
Grace Wumbei (11:05):
Okay. So your goal is to get a place to be able to produce your things. Okay. Let's hope it comes to pass. So that's a business woman in Ghana. What is your biggest motivator in continuing to grow and scale your business?
Hamida Iddrisu (11:24):
My biggest motivator is just redeem me, like not giving up, trying daily to do something.
Grace Wumbei (11:36):
Thank you, Madam Hamida Iddrisu, for taking the time to share your story with us. We are looking forward to seeing your business grow and good luck with your business. I would really like to come for your training to learn how to make pillows, even though I'm not disabled, but I really like what you're doing and I would like to get the training from you. Am I invited?
Hamida Iddrisu (11:57):
Yeah, you're welcome. Everybody is welcome. Yeah.
Grace Wumbei (12:03):
Okay. Thank you very much and good luck with your journey.
Hamida Iddrisu (12:06):
You too, bye.
Outro (12:16):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Winnie Namirimu, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Uganda, speaks with Jovia Birimuye, founder of Save More Briquettes – an innovative green business that produces briquettes for cooking as an alternative to charcoal made from wood to help reduce deforestation in her community in Mpigi, Uganda. They discuss Jovia’s goals for her enterprise and how YCI’s HerStart program helped grow Jovia’s environmental knowledge and confidence as a social entrepreneur.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Winnie Namirimu (01:35):
Hi everyone. My name is Namirimu Winnie. I'm the Communications and Training Fellow with Youth Challenge International and today I'm going to be chatting with Jovia about her green enterprise.
Jovia Birimuye (01:51):
I'm Birimuye Jovia with my partner, Namyonga Phiona. We are from Kalangala Mpigi District in the Central Region of Uganda. I grew up from the Central Region of Uganda in Chi Boga district. And growing up, we used to grow crops, we used to rear animals, domestic animals, like cows, goats. We used to be told stories Anglo in the evening at the fireplace. Our parents used to go for weddings. Growing up in Uganda is so interesting and I'm proud that I grew up from Uganda. Our green enterprise is all about making charcoal briquettes from plant and animal wastes. These plant wastes include peels and wastes like cow dung. I got this idea from the prolonged drought that was caused by deforestation. So I decided to bring this green enterprise to reduce the deforestation.
Winnie Namirimu (03:18):
What does a green enterprise mean to you?
Jovia Birimuye (03:22):
To me, a green enterprise is any business or business activity that is addressing any challenge facing the environment. This challenge include, there is pollution, air pollution, water pollution, such challenges facing the environment that any business that can reduce that those challenges is a green enterprise.
Winnie Namirimu (03:51):
Okay.
Jovia Birimuye (03:52):
Yeah.
Winnie Namirimu (03:52):
Most, most enterprises or maybe different ideas come out from different inspirations. So you as a person owning a green enterprise, do you have someone or maybe an experience that drew you to start your own enterprise?
Jovia Birimuye (04:10):
First of all, when I joined the HerStart program, we were told to make research about the problems in our community. But when I went back with my idea, I found someone's idea, which I picked interest and my partner Namyonga Phiona, her idea was stopping the deforestation that is causing the prolonged drought that farmers can't receive enough rainfall. So when I had that idea, I saw it so important to stop that, to stop the deforestation. So I joined her.
Winnie Namirimu (04:53):
You, as a person with a green enterprise, I understand you have passion for the environment. So can you tell me about where you got that passion for that environment from.
Jovia Birimuye (05:05):
One day, I wanted to eat some vegetables. So when I went to the market, they had no vegetables. So I asked everyone, "why?". They told me the prolonged drought, we can't grow vegetables. So I said, eh, this idea, when you put this idea into consideration and reimplement it with my partner, it shall decrease deforestation. Then farmers will be receiving enough rainfall and we will be growing vegetables.
Winnie Namirimu (05:41):
Can you tell me any challenge that you faced while choosing a green enterprise instead of these ordinary businesses?
Jovia Birimuye (05:50):
People think these businesses are for international people, for very educated people. They say, "eh, these people, that business is so expensive, those things are so expensive". So they choose not to buy from me and also challenge from other, the already market. The charcoal that is already on the market. That's a challenge because people choose not to buy from me. And even they don't respect the idea of saving the environment.
Winnie Namirimu (06:25):
So how do you deal with such challenges? For example, if someone decides to buy from another person, instead of you, how do you deal with such things?
Jovia Birimuye (06:35):
I try to explain to those people and some of them understand and they don't buy that banned charcoal and then they buy from me. So I try to explain to them and teach them the good thing of keeping the trees, of don't buying those charcoal because they cut trees. So some of them pick interest in my business, so they buy from us.
Winnie Namirimu (07:06):
We've seen COVID-19 affecting so many businesses, either social enterprises, green enterprises. So has COVID-19 affected your business plan?
Jovia Birimuye (07:18):
Yeah. Yeah, because COVID-19 has affected our business because the production declined because we used to supply schools, restaurants, hotels, and time reached when the schools you had, the schools were closed. So the production declined, our live-in resources, they declined. We lost some capable investors, our investors. So.
Winnie Namirimu (07:48):
During that, COVID-19 and the lockdown, how did the operation of the business change? Are there some things that changed?
Jovia Birimuye (07:57):
Yes. The number of production changed, even the number of customers. We could receive many customers but someone who told you, "Money, we don't have money". So, the level of earning, the income.
Winnie Namirimu (08:14):
Yeah. As you're helping the environment, you're also trying to help people. So if a person comes to buy from you, your products, and they bargained, do you accept, do you reduce the price for them? Or the price is strict?
Jovia Birimuye (08:33):
It depends. If someone is taking many briquettes, you can bargain. But if she or he is taking little, you can't bargain also that is the price that we put on those briquettes.
Winnie Namirimu (08:50):
Okay. I understand. So tell me about some of the short term goals for your business.
Jovia Birimuye (08:55):
First of all, we want to make a charcoal supply in Mpigi District. When we supply charcoal everywhere in Mpigi, the charcoal briquettes. Also we could like to provide some employment opportunities to people in Mpigi who collect raw materials for us, to support them.
Winnie Namirimu (09:20):
Okay. So since those are short term goals, have you tried to start working on them?
Jovia Birimuye (09:25):
Yeah, yeah.
Winnie Namirimu (09:26):
Tell me more about that.
Jovia Birimuye (09:27):
We have provided some people with opportunities like collecting the waste garbage - they bring to us, we buy from them. And also we have a number of people we supply with our charcoal briquettes in Mpigi.
Winnie Namirimu (09:42):
So how about the long term goals of your business?
Jovia Birimuye (09:44):
First of all, our long term goals, we want to see a strong green environment in Mpigi District. When everywhere you look, you see a green environment. And also we want in Mpigi District to have enough rainfall, a favourable climate for the Mpigi District people.
Winnie Namirimu (10:19):
Are there any specific people that you want your business to benefit?
Jovia Birimuye (10:24):
First of all, Mpigi farmers, farmers of Mpigi District. They will be receiving enough rainfall for their crops to grow. Yes.
Winnie Namirimu (10:38):
Apart from the farmers...
Jovia Birimuye (10:40):
The farmers, we have household of 18 to 60 years of age. Yes, we have schools, restaurants, hotels, yeah.
Winnie Namirimu (10:53):
Okay. It's really great to see that your business has positive impacts on the Earth and the environment. Okay, so after joining the HerStart program, the first time you joined it, did you see that this was really going to make your dream come true?
Jovia Birimuye (11:13):
Yeah. Yes. HerStart has supported us with knowledge, because we did not know that we have to care about our environment. So it has empowered us. It has given us knowledge. It has given us confidence to believe in ourselves that we can make it.
Winnie Namirimu (11:36):
Okay. That is really great. So if someone comes to you and they're interested in joining the HerStart program, what advice would you give them?
Jovia Birimuye (11:46):
I just advise them to quickly come and join the HerStart because it's so educative. It gives you knowledge. The HerStart program has empowered me to respect and appreciate my gender as a female, and also to appreciate the natural gift that God gave us - the environment.
Outro (12:17):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Benedict Lucas, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with Mtumwa Khamis Omar, founder of IKRA Early Childhood Centre – a kindergarten centre that aims to improve children’s academic performance, reduce primary school dropouts and keep young children off the street in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Mtumwa discusses the goals and challenges of her business and how YCI’s HerStart program helped her grow her knowledge and skills to start her own social enterprise.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Emily McDonald (01:36):
Hello everyone and thank you for tuning into the HerStory podcast. My name is Emily and I am currently a Climate Action and Entrepreneurship Fellow currently in Ontario, but I get the amazing opportunity to work with the HerStart team in Ghana. So today on the show, I am sitting with Taylor Marlow and Ellen Martin. Taylor is the Program and Partnership lead at YCI and Ellen is the Director at SoJo. So to get us started, Ellen, for those who aren't familiar with Sojo, could you tell us a bit more about SoJo and what was your inspiration behind starting it?
Ellen Martin (02:08):
Yeah, thanks Emily. Happy to be here. So SoJo, we got started about seven years ago and we're really on a mission to unlock the potential of the next generation of social entrepreneurs globally. Uh, so the way that we do that is working in partnership with organizations like YCI, projects like HerStart to develop training and support programs for mostly young aspiring social entrepreneurs. So what inspired me to get started with SoJo, I really saw, you know, a lot of young people, um, kind of feeling a little bit helpless about, um, some of the issues that they were seeing in the world, but also very passionate about making the world a better place seeing improvement in their community, and so wanted to start Sojo as a platform to really provide those young people with passion, with the tools and resources that they need to turn that passion into action through social entrepreneurship.
Emily McDonald (03:19):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think the one thing I've learned from working from this project is there's no shortage of young passionate people out there. So you'd already talked a little bit about working with other organizations, but what really stood out to you with working with the HerStart initiative and really create a positive impact for participants and their communities?
Ellen Martin (03:40):
What drew us to work on HerStart, I think is a couple of factors. Um, over the last several years we've been working with more targeted communities. Um, so women as a community of people, um, being one kind of focus and I'm quite passion about gender issues and working with young women so that was definitely a factor. I think we are also always really excited about projects that are supporting people and young people specifically, who are very close to the challenges in their communities that they're wanting to address. So HerStart's goal is to work with young women who, for various reasons in their lives potentially face significant barriers to employment or starting enterprises, but they are also, you know, very close to the kinds of challenges in their community that they wanna address through their enterprises.
Emily McDonald (04:42):
Yeah, absolutely, that like kind of lived experience, I think, is really important for when you're walking into any kind of situation that you wanna address. Speaking of HerStart, Taylor, would you like to tell us a bit more about what your role with the HerStart initiative is?
Taylor Marlow (04:57):
Yeah, so my role with HerStart is essentially overseeing the fellowship programs. So we have currently the Canadian e-fellowship program where Canadians are volunteering their time remotely for the program. And we have a national fellowship program in each country as well, so in Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana, there's local young people volunteering their time on the project as well. So overseeing those components and working with the staff and partners in each country to ensure those are successful and meaningfully integrated into the project.
Emily McDonald (05:33):
Yeah, it's been really kind of exciting for me as a fellow to certainly kind of be involved with the HerStart program. But one of the things that I would be interested to know is, I'm here as a cohort three iteration, but I'd be curious to know kind of what brought the HerStart project to life and kind of what factors were involved in turning this from an idea into an action and really what role do myself as a fellow and other fellows play in that.
Taylor Marlow (05:57):
Yeah. Great question. So essentially the program is part of the Volunteer Cooperation Program, so we're funded through that program stream within the Global Affairs Canada network. And yeah, the ultimate outcome that we're working towards in the whole program is to contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls around the world. But, you know, as the name Volunteer Cooperation Program implies, we are working with volunteers as a key stakeholder in order to do that. So a big part of the program and a goal of the program is to provide meaningful opportunities for skilled Canadians and others to volunteer their time. So we have really, yeah, been working with volunteers at YCI for over 30 years in different programs. This includes EQWIP HUBs, which some people might have heard of before. We also have an Innovate ME internship program that's been running for a few years, and we've really learned from that experience how we can meaningfully engage volunteers in development work in other countries and engage them in the project in order to reach that ultimate outcome.
Emily McDonald (07:16):
Yeah, absolutely. And not only has it been kind of a great public engagement tool, but it's also a really incredible learning opportunity for anyone who's interested. One of the things that I find really interesting is that you're under kind of this umbrella of volunteer cooperation, but it's not called a volunteer program it's called a fellowship program. So I'd just be kind of curious why that title and why is that the case with YCI and the HerStart initiative?
Taylor Marlow (07:40):
Yeah, great question. So that's something that we had a lot of discussions around in the planning stages of the program early last year, but we decided to call it a fellowship program rather than a volunteer program in a really intentional way, because we wanted to highlight the importance of the participants, their personal and professional development that they would gain through their engagement with HerStart. So this involves things like really, you know, developing high-quality trainings and resources with subject matter experts, such as Ellen and the SoJo team, ensuring there are really meaningful placements with a focus on learning and development, and providing different networking opportunities so that throughout their placements, all of the fellows are able to become part of this global network of like-minded people who can support them beyond the length of their placements, that they'll be part of this community and network for years to come.
Taylor Marlow (08:41):
So, yeah, it's something that we did intentionally to try to attract the right people as well. We really want people who are bringing previous knowledge and skills to the table that they want to further apply and learn more about in these contexts and who will be really highly committed to their role in the program, since they do play a really key piece in the HerStart program. We wanted to make sure that we designed an offer for them, where they will be really committed and, yeah, work closely with us in order to reach our really ambitious goals in the HerStart project.
Emily McDonald (09:17):
Yeah, absolutely. And I think the thing that I have really loved about being a fellow myself is that through kind of this learning and development, you kind of get the chance to really make your fellowship your own in terms of what are the key learning goals that you want to achieve, which I think is really exciting for anyone who's looking for a really unique opportunity to engage with international development. So one of the things that's really stood out for me in this program is the really close ties that HerStart initiative has with local in-country organizations. So could you shed some insight onto why this program involves partnerships with those local organizations?
Ellen Martin (09:54):
I'm happy to jump in around this. I mean, from our perspective, partnerships with local organizations are absolutely essential to the overall program success and program model, but in the context of HerStart, you know, in particular, the local partners play a really important role in providing deep community connections. So when we're trying to engage women in a program like HerStart offers, really important that there's a strong understanding of the kind of social and cultural context with every specific community that the program is being implemented in. So local partners really bring networks with local leaders, deep relationships and that strong understanding of the dynamics of that community. You know, they also bring really interesting expertise, so each partner has kind of a different focus or skillset. Some organizations with a really strong gender focus and other organizations that, you know, have really interesting financing tools for entrepreneurs as part of their offerings.
Ellen Martin (11:11):
So this combination of really complementary skillsets helps augment the overall impact that HerStart can have, you know. And finally, of course, you know, local partnerships, I think play a really big role in the sustained impact of an initiative like HerStart. It's quite a dream in a way to have a seven-year project, you know, I think that's quite rare. But at the end of the day, it's the local partners who, you know, will take up and continue this work long beyond the end of the seven years we hope.
Taylor Marlow (11:48):
Yeah, and I'll jump in and just say, yeah, with their strong knowledge and experience in those different thematic areas of the program, like Ellen mentioned things like climate, gender, youth engagement, the experience and knowledge that they are bringing to the table is extremely helpful in supporting the other stakeholders in the program as well. So in HerStart, we're really trying to foster this cross-cultural exchange across different stakeholders, so staff, partners, fellows in Canada and in the other program countries, and really, yeah, utilizing their knowledge and experience to teach each other and support each other in this global community that are trying to tackle these really, really big topics and challenges.
Emily McDonald (12:35):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when chatting with our Gender Equality Fellow in Ghana, Gifty who lives in Ghana, she's from Ghana, she has a deep kind of understanding of those dynamics that both Ellen and Taylor, you were both mentioning, and one of the things that she did mention when it comes to some of these larger issues is the fact that within households, there is kind of this dominant patriarchal structure, especially when it comes to money. So when we're talking about economic empowerment as part of this project, and as part of this sustained impact, what are some things that you hope that this project is able to do in terms of tackling that power imbalance that exists in these homes? And what are some tangible steps to take in order to kind of get closer to that ultimate goal that HerStart has of equality and economic empowerment?
Ellen Martin (13:26):
Asking the tough questions, Emily <laugh> yeah, big questions <laugh> yeah. You know, some of the things that come to mind for me, there is this, you know, balanced approach between direct implementation, which is, you know, the delivery of a program, a training program to build the skills of aspiring entrepreneurs and the kind of systems-level changes that are required in order to achieve that ultimate impact goal. Certainly from a training perspective, you know, we're trying to integrate the inclusion of skills and attitudes and knowledge that go beyond really fundamental, like business skills to broader self-confidence, empowerment, even skills like negotiation and being able to be supported in decision-making. So trying to develop these like broader skills among participants is certainly one of the focuses. And we've been working through a process we've called the human-centered design lab with HerStart staff where some of the, kind of, key questions around how to engage more of those systems-level stakeholders, a lot of focus on how to meaningfully engage families and the men in women's lives in supporting their business journey and also supporting household responsibilities and really making space for young women to be able to fully participate and grow a business.
Ellen Martin (15:08):
Taylor, I'd love to hear what your perspective is on this as well.
Taylor Marlow (15:12):
Yeah, no, that was a really great start to that really difficult question. And like Ellen is saying, it's something that us as staff and, you know, with partners and fellows, we talk about all the time and are really, you know, trying to make space to have these open, honest conversations about these really challenging and complex systemic issues, and how can we maybe make a dent in them through this project over the course of the seven years? So, yeah, I think even just making room for these conversations with participants themselves as well is like a really big step, like making this space in these communities for women to be able to interact with one another and, you know, reflect on what types of support or what barriers they are facing and how they can learn and support each other I think is really important.
Taylor Marlow (16:09):
And something that we're already seeing come out of the program, which is pretty cool. So yeah, making space for role models and, you know, creating those communities of support like Ellen was saying. There are women of course, challenging patriarchy and overcoming these barriers or obstacles in each of these communities already. So, you know, identifying those women, bringing them to the table, empowering other women to also see how they could overcome these challenges is really important and something that HerStart is trying to do through the role of mentorship and peer-to-peer support within each cohort of participants that go through our programs. And where YCI and the program comes in is really providing that additional training, resources, money is a huge barrier, so providing the financial support that women might not be able to access and can obviously benefit from in order to achieve their goals and move their businesses forward.
Emily McDonald (17:12):
Yeah, and I think sometimes it's sometimes overlooked how important it is to kind of create that safe space to have those conversations, and for women especially to be able to form those relationships and friendships and role models that can be really, really important in these projects like this. The program is kind of quite early into the seven years, so when you both kind of reflect on the project so far, how have you seen women progress throughout the program? So kind of where they had started and where they are now.
Ellen Martin (17:45):
Mm-hmm <affirmative> yes, as you say, it's pretty early days, but I actually was just having a conversation with one of the Partnership and Training Coordinators in Uganda, and she was sharing her excitement at the fact that one of the people who just recently completed the Seed your Social Venture program, so that second program, she came back to a Sparking Social Innovation training, which is the first program, and shared that people in her community are referring to her now as a change-maker. And Lillian was just so proud of this kind of like full circle story. So for only, you know, being really a year, less than a year into actually delivering programs, those kinds of stories are yeah, really, really exciting.
Emily McDonald (18:38):
I am so excited to kind of see at the end of the seven years, what comes out of it, because I think the HerStart program is truly a testament to the importance of having that passion, those right tools and kind of anything is possible. The story of the change-maker also warms my heart, it's so fantastic to see the impact that these participants can have on their community. It's beautiful.
Ellen Martin (18:58):
Yeah, it really is. Yeah.
Emily McDonald (19:00):
So I think it's really clear from our conversation that we are individuals who are passionate about social justice and social entrepreneurship, but for those who are listening, for any one who's listening who also shares kind of some of those same passions, but may feel slightly overwhelmed with kind of tackling these large issues, like the climate crisis and the patriarchy and even issues around funding. I really think we talked about before, but the HerStart story is a testament that with a positive attitude and a lot of drive, success is very possible. So could you talk about some of the actionable steps someone could take to kind of start their journey of impact, whether that be on the local community or even global level?
Taylor Marlow (19:43):
Yeah, I mean, from a volunteer lens, they can definitely get involved in HerStart or similar programs in their communities. You know, there are are so many organizations using young people's energy, passion and commitment to these issues to take action, so I do encourage people to look into opportunities that match with their interests and passions. But yeah, it has been really incredible to see already how many people have been really excited by the HerStart program and have been involved in it, so already we've seen over 300 applications for the e-fellowship program alone. So we're only going into cohort four and we've only had, you know, 35 available positions, but we've seen 10 times the amount of applicants. So that tells me that yeah, people are really interested and really passionate about these topics and want to take action.
Taylor Marlow (20:43):
So seeking out those opportunities and, you know, getting involved in ways that work with your schedule and your availability and your interests, just seeing that that's entirely possible, I hope is a good first step. Really learning from people like you, Emily, who, you know, sought out this program and have really been dedicated to contribute your time and energy to it is something that's really motivating and inspiring for me as well, but I hope it makes it feel possible for other people. I know young people can often feel like, like you said, unsure of where to start or where to go, but I think there's more and more opportunities being created for young people to get involved in this sector and in this space, particularly during the pandemic, being able to get involved remotely has been something that's been really interesting for us to experiment with and learn from, you know, shifting what was supposed to be an in-person travel international placement program to a remote e-volunteering or e-fellowship program has been a really interesting journey for us to learn from how we can meaningfully engage Canadians who aren't able to travel for various reasons, whether their schedule or life situation doesn't allow it, but are still really passionate about these issues.
Taylor Marlow (22:08):
So that's something that's been really cool to see across, you know, all sectors really in all issues is how organizations and individuals are adapting to the conditions of the pandemic to get creative and how you can volunteer, you know, with a country like Ghana, like you are Emily, from your home in Canada has been really interesting to learn across the sector and something that I think we'll find ways to continue to do in meaningful ways in the future. So yeah, I'd say the first step is just realizing that there are those opportunities out there, if you put in the time and energy to search and find them and, you know, network with other people, LinkedIn is a great tool for that, like find out what is out there and how you can get involved from the comfort of your home. You don't always have to actually be able to travel in order to make a real difference on these issues.
Emily McDonald (23:04):
Yeah, absolutely. You don't even need to like necessarily put on jeans either, which can be a benefit of working from home. Uh, and yeah, I think, I mean, Taylor, you're totally right. For me, what has been so wonderful as a fellow of the HerStart program is just how much my eyes have been opened up to the opportunities, even beyond HerStart, just by connecting with other fellows, having those really interesting conversations. It's been really incredible to know kind of what opportunities even lay beyond the HerStart Fellowship. Thank you both so much for being on the show and on the podcast today and explaining your roles and some of the biggest challenges as well as kind of what are those steps that HerStart is taking for this initiative to become a success. We all want to see so many women succeed on their entrepreneurial endeavors and I think this project is an incredible step in the right direction.
Outro (24:01):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Grace Wumbei, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Mariam Iddrisu, founder of Mariam Millinery and Fashion Design Centre – a business which creates locally-made fashion goods and transforms litter into bags and other items. Mariam discusses her goal of providing employment and skills to others in her community through her social enterprise and how YCI’s HerStart program helped her launch her business.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Grace Wumbei (01:36):
Hi everyone. My name is Grace Wumbei and I'm the Communications and Training Fellow with YCI Ghana team.
Mariam Iddrisu (01:47):
My name is Iddrisu Mariam. I'm from Ghana. I'm from upper west region where I'm settled in Tamale. I'm a seamstress. I sew for customers, but sometimes I buy the materials so we can sell it out. As of now what I'm doing is, I go the market, there are some dresses there, which some people don't like it in Ghana where you don't feel comfortable. So we went to the market and pick it, come and remove it and make it a dress that would make you comfortable. My childhood growing up in Ghana, I was in the village, so things wasn't good for us. When I was in class six, getting to form one, my father passed away and it left my mother alone. And she too, she was old. She cannot take care of me again from school, so that was why I stopped schooling. But she can't afford to take me to the senior high school due to some problems because I was with my brother. My brother was going to training college and then to go to senior high school. But because of financial problem, I had to drop, and he went to the training college.
Grace Wumbei (03:17):
So that means you stopped schooling at junior high school?
Mariam Iddrisu (03:20):
Yes.
Grace Wumbei (03:21):
Wow. Did you have someone or an experience that drew you to start your business?
Mariam Iddrisu (03:27):
What actually inspired me was that anytime I will see anybody wearing a dress and I would just imagine who it has been made by. So why not I also try to do something?
Grace Wumbei (03:40):
So did anyone help you start your business venture?
Mariam Iddrisu (03:44):
Yeah. The person who helped me was my husband, because when I finished the work, I shopped for everything he provided me with, so I would say he's the one who helped me.
Grace Wumbei (03:56):
What is the innovative aspect of your business?
Mariam Iddrisu (03:59):
The innovative aspect of my business is, you know, they come in the community, what they do is they sew for the customers. But what I want to do it sew and sell, because there are some things unless they order from outside Ghana, but now I want my business to make those so they can order from Ghana. And I can also make it myself and it will be made in Ghana, not from Turkey or any part of the country.
Grace Wumbei (04:32):
How did you come up with that idea?
Mariam Iddrisu (04:35):
How I come up with that? Yeah, it was like, me, I like learning on social media. So sometimes when I just entered YouTube or I'm on it, I would just be, if I see any tutorial for it. So sometimes when you follow and see that maybe they'll come pick a shirt and turn it into a dress, so that was where I also said that maybe if I also try this one that would be okay. When I started at first, it was moving very well, but later on everywhere now I just go here. Everybody's doing this. So then I guess I was doing small and now I was thinking about how I'm going to bring another one.
Grace Wumbei (05:28):
What motivated you to come into the business? Did you find a gap in what others who already in the field are doing that motivated you to come into the business to bring something innovative to solve that problem or that gap that is, or that thing that is lacking in their businesses?
Mariam Iddrisu (05:46):
Yeah, because when I started, you know, when it's just, you sew for your customer, I mean, I don't like sitting down for free, so anytime I'm not having work, but I have to get something to be busy on, because in my nature that's how I am. So when I see that this time the customers, around when the COVID started, there were no things to sew. So I just tried to get something, just to aim something for myself.
Grace Wumbei (06:23):
So what is your plan for your business now?
Mariam Iddrisu (06:26):
So my plan now is that how I would do to also solve some problem in my community. When I went there, things we choose our businesses to, I say that we're picking the rubbish. And we use it to make bags and purses, even laptop bags, and there are some things that I have to add to make the same kind of products, which I have not done yet. But with those that are just easy to do I have started it.
Grace Wumbei (07:01):
So how has COVID-19 affected your business plan?
Mariam Iddrisu (07:05):
COVID-19 really affected it because with my sewing, when COVID started, you can sit for the whole week, sometimes months. So till I just come out with this innovative thing, then when I started, when I started it at my side, I was the only person who was doing it. Even some people came to me to learn. I never charge, I just say I want to help. So I taught them how to do it. So people benefitted from me.
Grace Wumbei (07:34):
So who do you want your business to benefit?
Mariam Iddrisu (07:36):
First of all, I would say the community. The community will benefit and how the community will benefit, as I'm picking the rubbish from the community, there will not be rubbish around.
Grace Wumbei (07:53):
So what aspect of your business have come easily to you?
Mariam Iddrisu (07:57):
What comes easily is the rubbish, the picking of the rubbish, that one is easy. Where I'm keeping it, it's not enough. So when it's full, I have to stop there. But I'm hoping that if time goes and it grows, maybe if I get some support, I'll get a big storage. Because according to how I do my investigation, when I do research, some people are buying them. So if I have enough to keep them, I can sew for them and still get some to get something because you have to buy the maintenance and everything. And there are some equipment that I still needed for that.
Grace Wumbei (08:53):
So tell us a little bit about how you heard about the HerStart program and how you got involved.
Mariam Iddrisu (09:00):
I would say thanks to my husband because that day I was in the house. He told me that they are having a program that they want to help those who want to start a business or want to grow their business. So when I heard about them, they gave me one of the forms. So I got it from them and filled it. So after we filled it my husband said we'll dial it, you can check on the link, so we check on the link. So we give them form to them. So we filled it on the next week. So later when I was called for the interview the program at GTC office.
Grace Wumbei (09:56):
How has that helped you on your journey?
Mariam Iddrisu (10:00):
It has helped me a lot. I will say a lot because sometimes when I was doing the sewing the dresses, I always think, how will I do to also help my community? They're just there. And some of the children are there. They're going to school without schoolbags. But when I come to HerStart, I learned that if I use that, I can give it to those who are not having bags. If the business grows, I can help in employing some of those who are not having work to picking the rubbish for me. When they pick and come now, I just get something small for them.
Grace Wumbei (10:44):
That would be great to watch you do it. So have you found any other outside factors to be particularly difficult with starting your business, whether it's the coronavirus or your competitors. Any challenge or any difficulty?
Mariam Iddrisu (11:01):
No, with the business, they're innovative that I'm starting now. There's no competitors. But soon I know if I start how I want to go, if I start in the city, then I will get competitors. And I want to because if you compete you are also going to solve another problem. Because I know the rubbish, I cannot pick it all. But if someone also come out who will pick with me, that will help all of us to solve the problem in the community.
Grace Wumbei (11:33):
What are the long-term goals for your business?
Mariam Iddrisu (11:38):
I want to grow my business, then I'll be able to employ people and help others teach them how to also make their own money. Because if someone just come to me for help, and I give you money, you go, you spend the money to finish, but if I'm able to help the person on teaching the person, "oh, this how you do and make this, you also make money", that one, the person can take it and make a life out of it. But if you give the money, one week, the person will finish it. But my long term, I want to help those who want to learn. With the sewing, I want to help them and teach them how to sew, even their bags. If only one person, I will teach you.
Grace Wumbei (12:30):
So what has stood out to you most with the HerStart program and what might you say to people who are interested in getting involved?
Mariam Iddrisu (12:41):
That is to try and also come. Because for me when I got it and I got the link, even there's some are still going on the training. This one woman, I gave her the link. And she applied. And there are still some people I gave the link, some of them, I don't know whether they called. Because it helped. Because if you go through the training, maybe if you are not able to get the grant, you'll learn something. You'll learn something out of there.
Outro (13:21):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Winnie Namirimu, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Uganda, speaks with Carol Namirimu, founder of Sister Coral Foundation – a business that creates energy-saving cooking bags. Carol discusses her goals of reducing pollution and deforestation while providing skills training to women in her community through her social enterprise created in YCI’s HerStart program.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Winnie Namirimu (01:35):
Hi everyone, my name is Winnie Namirimu. I'm the Communications and Training Fellow with Youth Challenge International. Today I'm going to be chatting with Carol about her innovative social enterprise.
Carol Namirimu (01:51):
My name is Namirimu Carol and I come from Kampala District. We found around eight kids plus us who were 10 kids, but good enough, our aunt was able to take care of us. She was so hardworking. She taught us how to be hardworking because life wasn't easy, by then it's hard. But at least we tried our level best because as we were kind of old, she taught us how to work. So we would work with her in the restaurant where she works. So this made us so hardworking up to now. My business is called, my company is called Sister Carol Foundation Limited, that's where we are doing the fumba bags. A lot of women, a lot of people there are exposed to pollution. A lot of people are cutting trees, affecting their environment. So me, I started, I came up with this idea to reduce the pollution process, exposed to pollution for so many hours. Me, I grew up with a person, my auntie, who was exposed to pollution from morning to evening. She could wake up at four, light all the charcoal stove with firewood. This fire doesn't know when you're using it, there's a lot of smoke. So the more people use the firewood, the more we lose our trees, which affect our environment. So those are some of the problems I'm solving that if someone accesses that fumba bag, this fumba bag only needs someone to put food for five minutes on either gas, coil, charcoal stove, firewood for only five minutes. And you transfer to our fumba bag, you put it there, you tighten and find your food ready. You can also remove that for lunch. Keep your hand for supper. You find it, but it keeps food hot for good hours. So this enables us to reduce that deforestation taking place to get the charcoal, to get the firewood. It also reduces on that time and hours people are cooking, exposing our temperatures, our ozone layer to pollution.
Winnie Namirimu (04:33):
Tell me about the business atmosphere in the country. How do you find it to do business in Uganda?
Carol Namirimu (04:44):
How I find doing business in Uganda, first of all, Ugandan people support you. If you are producing what they want, if they get to know your product, they're so supportive, encouraging. And the competition, I can't leave out the competition, but it depends on which product you give people. So it also depends on how you advertise your product to reach your people.
Winnie Namirimu (05:13):
- So how do you advertise your products?
Carol Namirimu (05:16):
I advertise using all my social media platforms. My friends also advertise, so through different people, I connect with different people, show my product, they also take it to another person. My customers who have been able to access my product, they also help me to advertise. A lot of people now I was able to be broadcasted on some local channel, so they also help me to advertise.
Winnie Namirimu (05:46):
Yes. Okay. So you talked about advertising through social media channels. Have you got any negative feedback or maybe a positive feedback on your products while advertising on social media?
Carol Namirimu (06:02):
Yes. I've gotten both of them. First of all, the positive comments, the positive feedbacks have been a lot. People give you advice because whenever people see something new in your product, someone gives you advice, "Can you do like this? Can you do like this?". So there's a way you build up your thing. Negative feedback I've been getting, people have been doubting, "How can a bag cook? Is it possible?". Because people, first of all, all of us, whenever you see a new product, something you're not used to, you have that doubt. But the more you get exposed to a product, you know how it works, you gain that trust.
Winnie Namirimu (06:47):
So do you have someone or maybe an experience that drew you to start your own social enterprise?
Carol Namirimu (06:55):
Yes. That was in our HerStart first session. Her social enterprise is about reusable pads. Her company is called Pads for Her. She was brought to give her experience and we got a chance. She's someone who grew up from the same area. So, so inspired by her story. So me, I looked at myself, I put myself in her shoes, we are from the same village. At least, she didn't even have some opportunities, for us we are able to be exposed to some opportunities. Why can't we also do a thing? So that's where I got my inspiration.
Winnie Namirimu (07:52):
So what is the innovative aspect of the fumba bags, how is that business idea innovative?
Carol Namirimu (08:00):
First of all, I'll talk about the material. The fumba bags, these bags are in existence, but me, my innovative aspect of my business, the material I use basically I use some clothes, those clothes they use to make flags. Then me I use sponge, that's what I put inside to help that bag retain that heat.
Winnie Namirimu (08:31):
So is there any challenge or what is the biggest challenge you've faced so far in starting your business?
Carol Namirimu (08:39):
The capital, because me, I'm a student. I'm at university. I don't work. So gathering the capital to start, it was not easy.
Winnie Namirimu (08:53):
So apart from capital, so do you have any plans for the business as for now?
Carol Namirimu (08:58):
Yes, I have. I plan to have a bigger place with good machines, because the more people get to know my product, the more orders I get. So you can't have one machine when people are getting to know your product and can have orders of 10. So you can't produce 10 bags with one machine, so you have to get more machines so that at least the people you work with can produce at least five bags in two days. And a bigger place because I'm working from my home. My home, when it trains, the whole compound is full of water. So when it rains we don't work.
Winnie Namirimu (09:40):
So what is the, who do you want your business to benefit? What is the target group?
Carol Namirimu (09:57):
My group are mothers, the vulnerable mothers because mostly mothers, our mothers, are the people who are exposed especially, the people who from morning, I can find a lady who cooks from morning to evening, just cooking, housewives, those people.
Winnie Namirimu (10:19):
So tell me about some of the short term goals of your business.
Carol Namirimu (10:26):
Of course, good machines. A good place which can accommodate at least like 30 people, but they're working. So I want a big place for the community, to gather people together. So we make it in case someone has 1000 bags to make and that place accommodate us such a place which can accommodate our store, where we can keep our staff. Then the next thing is machines. Good sewing machines. Material, because when you're buying quantities, the material is kind of cheap. But at this moment, the order which comes in is the material you buy, so buying at around 45, if you buy 100, at least you get a discount, a bigger one. So also to get to buy, to reach a buying.
Winnie Namirimu (11:34):
Do you get, these people who help you, do you get people that already have the skills of sewing or you first get people and train them and skill them on how to make, to help you?
Carol Namirimu (11:53):
This thing, our foundation, it also trains people. It's part of our project activities. These are our trained people who come from zero to something.
Winnie Namirimu (12:06):
So we've seen the short term goals of the business. How about the long term goals? Tell me more about them.
Carol Namirimu (12:14):
So my long term goal, I want at least 10 000 families access the fumba bag, it will help our temperatures to decrease at least two degrees Celsius.
Winnie Namirimu (12:47):
So tell me, specifically, how has HerStart helped you through this journey of social entrepreneurship?
Carol Namirimu (12:47):
First of all, before I joined HerStart, I had some business ideas, both social enterprise and other businesses. But when I entered HerStart I had many ideas. I came up with the idea to come up with something new. My teachers would challenge me. They tell me this and this, you can do this and this, how can this business help people, something like that. So I had that idea of fumba bags, I say, let me tell people about this. People will come because it helps me, helps my mothers, helps their community, helps our environment. So it was a good idea. So from the HerStart, that feedback I got from the HerStart teachers, that was my beginning.
Outro (13:55):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Winnie Namirimu, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Uganda, speaks with Mary Hillary Nandudu, founder of Social Innovation on Wheels – a social enterprise that supports women to grow their own businesses. Mary discusses her goals of empowering women and girls in Uganda by building their digital literacy and English language skills, the challenges women entrepreneurs face in Uganda, and how YCI’s HerStart program helped her start her own social enterprise.
In this episode, Benedict Lucas, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with Munira Foum Juma, founder of Gulioni Green Line – a social enterprise that collects waste from over 300 households in Gulioni, Tanzania to create manure. Munira discusses her goal of keeping her community clean while employing local youth through her social enterprise and how YCI’s HerStart program supported and inspired Munira to launch her business.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Benedict Lucas (01:35):
Hi everyone, my name is Benedict Lucas and I am the Communication and Training Fellow with YCI. Today I'm chatting with Munira Foum Juma about the innovation enterprise.
Munira Foum Juma (01:54):
My name is Munira Foum Juma from Gulioni. I was born in 1990 at <inaudible> Hospital. I completed my primary education at <inaudible> Primary School and I attended secondary education at <inaudible> Secondary School and I was unable to continue with my studies. I had to get married, but after getting married, the life was very difficult. I was selling porridge, I sold porridge for a period of two years. Then one of my friends told me to join a group of members building the nation. So I chose to join under Ministry of Health at <inaudible> Hospital and until now, I have been selected to be a health promoting member in my village. In 2019, I joined a youth club called Afro Cooperation who are security workers doing farming, growing local tea and producing fruit. I have started a social business of collecting waste and it's operating until now. The innovation in my business is collecting waste from the whole community and the waste is being recycled.
Benedict Lucas (03:48):
Do you have someone or an experience that drew you to start your own enterprise?
Munira Foum Juma (04:03):
Okay, the thing that motivated me to do the business is seeing other villages cleaning their communities and how clean they were. So it's motivated me to do the same in my community as well.
Benedict Lucas (04:19):
How did you come up with this idea?
Munira Foum Juma (04:22):
I had this idea but I had not put it into action, but through HerStart that's when I realized and started action upon my idea.
Benedict Lucas (04:37):
Did anyone help you start your business venture or inspire you to do so?
Munira Foum Juma (04:48):
The HerStart facilitators have helped me a lot to grow my ideas and the chairperson from my community who also values the sanitation.
Benedict Lucas (05:02):
What is your plan for your business?
Munira Foum Juma (05:06):
My plan is to have a big company dealing with sanitation and waste management and to produce manure from waste so that will create employment for youth in my community.
Benedict Lucas (05:30):
Who do you want your business to benefit?
Munira Foum Juma (05:37):
The beneficiaries of my social enterprise are, first, the children because they will have a clean environment for playing. Then, youth will get employment and the community at large also will benefit since waste will properly be collected instead of dumping it anywhere, anyhow. Since we're gathering the waste, the environment will be clean.
Benedict Lucas (06:06):
What aspects of your business have come easily to you?
Munira Foum Juma (06:17):
What's come easy in my business is youth workers because before I was not sure that I would be able to persuade youth to get work in waste collection, but since most of them refuse. Fortunately there was a big turnout at that, I was not even able to manage that at the start. So I selected a few of them, interviewed them and selected only 12 youth because of funds. I want to expand that but because I have not enough funds, so I started with those 12.
Benedict Lucas (07:06):
What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far in starting your business?
Munira Foum Juma (07:14):
The challenge I'm facing is some people are refusing to pay for the waste collection from their home, but I'm very grateful most of them have accepted. And the challenge of where to store the waste since we are making manure from it. The other challenge is there are still many youth that are jobless and I can employ only 12. Many of them would like to join us, but we can't afford them with limited funds. Also, another challenge is insufficient equipment.
Benedict Lucas (08:08):
Have you found any other outside factors to be particularly difficult with starting your business, whether that be the pandemic or other competitors in your area?
Munira Foum Juma (08:26):
Other factors affecting my business? The rain because it's making it difficult since it's wet, the waste is making it difficult during collection. And also the competition among others, for example, bigger because bigger is the big company that collects waste. The COVID pandemic has greatly affected my business, yeah. As you know, it delayed income during Covid-19 and people were less motivated to pay and others were delayed.
Benedict Lucas (09:10):
So tell us a little about how you heard about the HerStart program and how you got involved.
Munira Foum Juma (09:25):
First I heard about HerStart when I was at training, the training about entrepreneurship organized by <inaudible> and she came, Madam Asha from ZTBI, and told us about this program. So she tell us, if we would want to be part of it, to go and get a form from ZTBI in Mbweni and we were among five of us to get forms, but very unfortunately, I was the only one who was selected. After that, we had a training of SSI for three days and I completed and then we interviewed and selected again for the eight weeks called SYSV training. So currently we are completing the training and I'm very grateful my idea has grown and I was able to start my social business.
Benedict Lucas (10:48):
What has stood out to you most with the HerStart program and what might you say to people who are interested in getting involved?
Munira Foum Juma (10:59):
What motivated me about HerStart is the Sustainable Development Goals and when I was thinking about my business, I concentrated on 13 goals. We talk about climate action. And another thing that HerStart has empowered many youth and those that will be ready and most of them have ideas of social businesses. Okay. Also through HerStart we were going to understand social enterprises and I'm very grateful for HerStart program and I call up on young fellow women to join HerStart so that they get empowered and they improve their knowledge also, like me.
Outro (12:07):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Patience Azukuzia, HerStart Communications and Training Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Zahara Tamimu, founder of Zahara Fashion and Designs – a business that creates clothing items and bag accessories using recycled materials. Zahara discusses her goal of employing young women and people with disabilities, as well as how YCI’s HerStart program inspired her to create an innovative social enterprise that positively impacts her community and the environment.
Intro (00:05):
Hi everyone, welcome to Youth Challenge International's HerStart HerStory podcast series. YCI launched the HerStart Innovate the Future program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally. Our goal is bold - support 10,000 young women in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to become social entrepreneurs by 2027. We'll be sharing real stories from the program and speaking with the young women who are shaping a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and leading change in their communities. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future program is funded in part by the Government of Canada to progress Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Each HerStory episode has been produced with the help from fellows who have volunteered to share and gain skills to support implementing the HerStart program. For most fellows, this was their first interviewing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and learn about the podcasting experience, which is new to many of us. You can join us and learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
Benedict Lucas (01:35):
Hi everyone, my name is Benedict Lucas and I am the Communication and Training Fellow with YCI. Today I'm chatting with Munira Foum Juma about the innovation enterprise.
Munira Foum Juma (01:54):
My name is Munira Foum Juma from Gulioni. I was born in 1990 at <inaudible> Hospital. I completed my primary education at <inaudible> Primary School and I attended secondary education at <inaudible> Secondary School and I was unable to continue with my studies. I had to get married, but after getting married, the life was very difficult. I was selling porridge, I sold porridge for a period of two years. Then one of my friends told me to join a group of members building the nation. So I chose to join under Ministry of Health at <inaudible> Hospital and until now, I have been selected to be a health promoting member in my village. In 2019, I joined a youth club called Afro Cooperation who are security workers doing farming, growing local tea and producing fruit. I have started a social business of collecting waste and it's operating until now. The innovation in my business is collecting waste from the whole community and the waste is being recycled.
Benedict Lucas (03:48):
Do you have someone or an experience that drew you to start your own enterprise?
Munira Foum Juma (04:03):
Okay, the thing that motivated me to do the business is seeing other villages cleaning their communities and how clean they were. So it's motivated me to do the same in my community as well.
Benedict Lucas (04:19):
How did you come up with this idea?
Munira Foum Juma (04:22):
I had this idea but I had not put it into action, but through HerStart that's when I realized and started action upon my idea.
Benedict Lucas (04:37):
Did anyone help you start your business venture or inspire you to do so?
Munira Foum Juma (04:48):
The HerStart facilitators have helped me a lot to grow my ideas and the chairperson from my community who also values the sanitation.
Benedict Lucas (05:02):
What is your plan for your business?
Munira Foum Juma (05:06):
My plan is to have a big company dealing with sanitation and waste management and to produce manure from waste so that will create employment for youth in my community.
Benedict Lucas (05:30):
Who do you want your business to benefit?
Munira Foum Juma (05:37):
The beneficiaries of my social enterprise are, first, the children because they will have a clean environment for playing. Then, youth will get employment and the community at large also will benefit since waste will properly be collected instead of dumping it anywhere, anyhow. Since we're gathering the waste, the environment will be clean.
Benedict Lucas (06:06):
What aspects of your business have come easily to you?
Munira Foum Juma (06:17):
What's come easy in my business is youth workers because before I was not sure that I would be able to persuade youth to get work in waste collection, but since most of them refuse. Fortunately there was a big turnout at that, I was not even able to manage that at the start. So I selected a few of them, interviewed them and selected only 12 youth because of funds. I want to expand that but because I have not enough funds, so I started with those 12.
Benedict Lucas (07:06):
What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far in starting your business?
Munira Foum Juma (07:14):
The challenge I'm facing is some people are refusing to pay for the waste collection from their home, but I'm very grateful most of them have accepted. And the challenge of where to store the waste since we are making manure from it. The other challenge is there are still many youth that are jobless and I can employ only 12. Many of them would like to join us, but we can't afford them with limited funds. Also, another challenge is insufficient equipment.
Benedict Lucas (08:08):
Have you found any other outside factors to be particularly difficult with starting your business, whether that be the pandemic or other competitors in your area?
Munira Foum Juma (08:26):
Other factors affecting my business? The rain because it's making it difficult since it's wet, the waste is making it difficult during collection. And also the competition among others, for example, bigger because bigger is the big company that collects waste. The COVID pandemic has greatly affected my business, yeah. As you know, it delayed income during Covid-19 and people were less motivated to pay and others were delayed.
Benedict Lucas (09:10):
So tell us a little about how you heard about the HerStart program and how you got involved.
Munira Foum Juma (09:25):
First I heard about HerStart when I was at training, the training about entrepreneurship organized by <inaudible> and she came, Madam Asha from ZTBI, and told us about this program. So she tell us, if we would want to be part of it, to go and get a form from ZTBI in Mbweni and we were among five of us to get forms, but very unfortunately, I was the only one who was selected. After that, we had a training of SSI for three days and I completed and then we interviewed and selected again for the eight weeks called SYSV training. So currently we are completing the training and I'm very grateful my idea has grown and I was able to start my social business.
Benedict Lucas (10:48):
What has stood out to you most with the HerStart program and what might you say to people who are interested in getting involved?
Munira Foum Juma (10:59):
What motivated me about HerStart is the Sustainable Development Goals and when I was thinking about my business, I concentrated on 13 goals. We talk about climate action. And another thing that HerStart has empowered many youth and those that will be ready and most of them have ideas of social businesses. Okay. Also through HerStart we were going to understand social enterprises and I'm very grateful for HerStart program and I call up on young fellow women to join HerStart so that they get empowered and they improve their knowledge also, like me.
Outro (12:07):
Thanks for joining us today and learning about how Youth Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with a positive impact for all. If you enjoyed this HerStart HerStory podcast episode, please like and share our episodes on social media and be sure to tune in and subscribe next time on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favourite podcast. This series will continue to highlight how young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda are leading change in their communities. A special thanks as well to the fellows who volunteer to support the HerStart Innovate the Future program and help create these episodes. YCI's HerStart Innovate the Future and fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada's Volunteer Corporation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy. Join us and thousands of young people around the globe creating a better future together. Learn more at yci.org or herstart.org.
In this episode, Isabel Atugonza, Youth Challenge International's Knowledge and Learning Manager in Uganda, speaks with Nankinga Viola Kukiriza, founder of V&E Organics - a green enterprise that makes organic fertilizer from manure to provide a better, alternative product to artificial fertilizers. Viola discusses her passion for gardening and the environment and how YCI's HerStart program empowered her to become a social entrepreneur.
This episode was conducted in Luganda and the English voiceover is provided by Isabel Atugonza.
In this episode, Qudsia Alvi, HerStart Gender Equality Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with Aisha Baker Makungu, founder of Isha Product - an enterprise that creates beauty and hygiene products from seaweed including soaps, lotions and shampoos. Aisha discusses her future goals for her business and how YCI's HerStart program empowered her to become a social entrepreneur.
This episode was conducted in Swahili and the English voiceover is provided by Ilham Haji.
In this episode, Kristine Vanderahe, HerStart Programs and Partnership Fellow in Uganda, speaks with Natasha Ruth, founder of Dhaiffe Solutions – a social enterprise that makes reusable sanitary napkins. Natasha discusses her goal of improving menstrual health and solving period poverty for young women and girls in her community.
In this episode, Sheilagh Newland, HerStart Communications Fellow in Tamale, Ghana, speaks with Sahada Muzaa, founder of Muzaa Enterprise – a social business focused on empowering young girls and women by teaching them to make soap. Sahada shares her goal of reducing youth unemployment in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her to start her business.
In this episode, Danielle Serge, HerStart Programs and Partnership Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with Mariam Mussa Haji, founder of Muzne Product – a social enterprise that makes nutritional products and powder. Mariam discusses her goal of improving health and nutritional deficiency in her community and how YCI's HerStart program helped her journey to becoming a social entrepreneur.
In this episode, Sheilagh Newland, HerStart Communications Fellow in Tamale, Ghana, speaks with Mary Abapale, founder of REVIVE Enterprise – an innovative social business focused on producing low-cholesterol moringa oils to promote healthy lifestyles in her community. Mary discusses how her business supports local moringa farmers and tackles health issues in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her entrepreneurship journey.
In this episode, Danielle Serge, HerStart Program & Partnerships Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with Hadia Mbarouk Saleh, founder of Khamasa Lishe – a social enterprise that creates nutritional powder for pregnant women and young children. Hadia discusses her goal of improving poor nutrition in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her entrepreneurship journey.
In this episode, Rajeshwari Sriram, HerStart Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Fellow in Kampala, Uganda, speaks with Sabano Scovia, founder of Gracious Chalk – a social enterprise that aims to provide underprivileged rural and urban schools with learning materials. Sabano discusses her passion for quality education, her chalk-making process and how YCI's HerStart program and Catalyst Fund helped her build her business.
In this episode, Shelly Steffler, HerStart Communications Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Musah Mariama Wunnan, founder of Mari NutriWorld – a social enterprise that produces pumpkin seeds, peanuts and peanut butter to reduce child malnutrition in northern Ghana. Musah discusses her goal of improving children's health and unemployment in her community and how YCI's HerStart program helped her build her business.
In this episode, Jessica Zapata, HerStart Program & Partnerships Fellow in Tanzania, speaks with ZamZam Khamis Juma, founder of Zajkha Organic Beauty – a business that creates products like soap and face scrub using natural materials. ZamZam discusses her goal of reducing harmful chemical use and women's unemployment in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her entrepreneurship journey.
This episode was conducted in Swahili and the English voiceover is provided by Ilham Haji.
In this episode, Tierney Paige Russell, HerStart Communications Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Latifa Ayinbota Atule, founder of Latty-H Soaps – a social enterprise that creates skin products using organic ingredients. Latifa discusses her goal of improving skin health and employing women in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her entrepreneurship journey.