Innovate the Future Program
HerStart’s Innovate the Future program propels sustainable economic development, entrepreneurship and social impact for women and their communities in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.
Social Entrepreneurs
Canadian Fellows
Catalyst Fund
Partners
Years
Countries
Advancing gender equality and social impact through entrepreneurship
Driven by the power of global partners and passionate Canadian fellowship volunteers, HerStart puts the power of knowledge sharing into action to build a more equitable and sustainable future that works for everyone by ...
- Training and funding women social entrepreneurs.
- Connecting entrepreneurs with skilled Canadian volunteers.
- Building global partner organizational capacity.
Training and funding women social entrepreneurs
Youth in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda that participate in HerStart’s social entrepreneurship training are eligible for seed funding and business mentorship through the HerStart Catalyst Fund. The Fund helps kickstart businesses as they scale up and boosts their ability to drive a more equal, climate-resilient and inclusive economy.
100% of contributions go towards accelerating youth-led social enterprises.
Connecting entrepreneurs with skilled Canadian volunteers
We invite experienced Canadians to put their skills into practice to create a more sustainable and equitable economy through HerStart’s international fellowships. Fellows take part in volunteer abroad placements where they connect with inspiring young people and global partners to build knowledge in many areas including gender equality, climate action, business development and more.
We’re looking for Canadians just like you...
Building global partner organizational capacity
YCI collaborates with leading global organizations championing gender equality in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda to leverage their diverse expertise and foster collective learning.
Together, we co-implement dynamic social entrepreneurship programs, developing ecosystems and resource networks to support young women beyond the HerStart program and create lasting community impact.
Here's how you can join us
Our Partners
Global collaborators
YCI collaborates closely with local partners in each country to co-implement the HerStart program, leveraging mutual strengths and diverse perspectives. Each year, HerStart assesses partners' capacities in areas like gender equality, climate action, human rights and innovation to guide capacity-building activities. Support is provided through fellow assistance and the Partner Innovation Fund (PIF), a grant program that offers resources for partners to enhance their capabilities and test new ideas for continuous improvement.
Ghana
Tanzania
Uganda
Program design partners
YCI partners with some of the world’s leaders in social enterprise training, monitoring and evaluation, climate action, and tech innovation to support the design and execution of HerStart’s Innovate the Future program and incubation resources.
Funding Partners
YCI’s HerStart Innovate the Future and International Fellowship programs are funded through the Government of Canada’s Volunteer Cooperation Program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer abroad with global partners and advance Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.
