WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

 

Add to your bucket list: Kilimanjaro Climb for SHE 2017

in Blog  by connie lewin

Join the #climbforSHE team, July 1 – 11, 2017 across the Rongai Crater Route, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

This is your chance to close the gender gap for thousands of girls and create new jobs for the women in her community in Rwanda. SHE is equipping school girls with the pads they need to thrive at school by building a sustainable business that trains local women to make and sell these pads in their communities.

You can be a part of changing of Rwanda’s economy by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro July 2017. The Rongai Crater Route starts from the north side of Kilimanjaro at the village of Nalemoru near the Kenya border. This less traveled trail allows discriminating trekkers to distance themselves from the busier routes on the lower elevations, offers a great variety of fabulous vistas that most climbers never get to see. The route passes through lush farmland and pine and cypress forests before ascending into the rainforest where you may see troupes of black and white colobus monkeys. In the higher moorland zone enjoy views of the Kenyan plains rich with game.

Stay tuned for more info about how to sign up. In the meantime, watch the video below to learn more about SHE and last year’s inaugural climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Download a brochure

See photos and read testimonials’ from last year’s adventure

go! Out & Play on Menstrual Hygiene Day

in Blog  by connie lewin

Guest Post by Jeannette Murekatate, Health and Hygiene Manager

That’s exactly what we did in Rwanda on May 27 by organizing 2030 students (both boys and girls), teachers, and community leaders, in celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2016.  This year’s theme focused on “He for SHE”, serving as a call to action for Rwandan boys and men to engage in conversations with girls and women about the significance of good menstrual hygiene habits, and the role these habits play in the health and well-being of all girls and women.

The day’s activities included skits written and performed by students to illustrate the challenges girls encounter while managing their period at school and at home, an all-girl soccer match, and a fact or fiction menstrual health crossword puzzle. In an epic win (2-0), G.S. Gikaya school was declared the game-winner, and SHE awarded each girl a t-shirt in addition to their very own pack of go! pads.

Alphonse Ngarambe, The Director of Health in the Kayonza district, delivered a speech directed to young men, reminding them they can play a role in promoting good menstrual hygiene by starting conversations about menstruation with other men to reduce the stigma and shame that many fellow girl students feel while menstruating at school. He ended his speech with a note of hope, saying  “Abishyize hamwe nta kibananira,” or “Together, all things are possible.”

Providing girls and women information about menstruation and their health, in addition to ensuring affordable access to menstrual products, is not just about health and hygiene – it’s also about affirming their agency and their rights. SHE28 extends beyond our work and collaboration with girls and women to include boys and men, because when everyone is engaged, everyone wins.

Why I Volunteer for SHE: Meet Sam Schulman

in Blog  by connie lewin
Sam offered her brand and design skills with her Interbrand colleagues for a day of service.

Sam offered her brand and design skills with her Interbrand colleagues for a day of service.

How did you find out about SHE?

SHE and Interbrand partnered for Interbrand’s Month of Service in July 2014. SHE was selected out of many non-profit submissions to participate in a one-day intensive workshop to tackle key brand challenges.

What project did you work on with SHE? Whom did you work with? How did you use your skills and talents to help advance SHE’s mission?

We worked with Elizabeth Scharpf (founder and CEO), Connie Lewin (Strategic Partnerships and Marketing Director) and SHE’s Marketing Intern. Originally, the focus was on understanding how to implement visual assets as a result of a recent rebrand. What evolved was a deeper focus on differentiating SHE’s primary campaign, SHE28, from the SHE global brand to ensure SHE could be better leveraged as a platform to communicate the broader objectives of the organization, and support future growth. In just 8 hours, we completed an extraordinary amount together – we developed a messaging platform to express the brand personality; made adjustments to both the SHE and SHE28 logos, introducing greater clarity and flexibility in the visual system; and finally, a brand playbook that included visual, verbal and strategic guidance for implementing the brand effectively.

What are some highlights of your volunteer work with SHE?

Our day with SHE remains one of my career highlights. Not only is the SHE team incredibly passionate about what they do, but they have created a really interesting and sustainable business model unlike many in the space. The team was engaged and decisive which allowed us to iterate together to get to successful solutions.

Sam Schulman brand work as SHE volunteer

Sam and her Interbrand colleagues worked with SHE to produce a brand guide, a refreshed SHE logo, and actionable content all in one day!

What should people know about SHE?

Working with SHE opened my eyes to a topic I had previously known very little about. The work SHE is doing is unique and powerful and I can’t wait to see what SHE tackles next as it continues to grow and make lasting change at a global scale!