WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
We have some exciting news to share. SHE has been named a Classy Awards Finalist, of the 100 most innovative nonprofits and social enterprises of 2016! We couldn’t be more excited to share the news with supporters like you that make our work possible.
Classy Awards Finalists are a prestigious group of nonprofits and social enterprises selected for their excellence in social innovation and ability to solve a social problem. This year, Classy had 1300 programs across all cause categories submit nominations, and the competition was at an all-time high. The application process was rigorous and intensive, and we were judged using stringent criteria that assesses an organization’s potential to solve a problem and innovative solution.
Our SHE28 program, along with the 99 other Finalists, is now in the running to become a Winner. Our fate is being passed on to the Leadership Council, a diverse board of experts and thought leaders who will collectively vote to determine the 10 Classy Award Winners.
As a supporter, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating this momentous occasion. It’s a great honor to be recognized for our efforts and creative solutions that are making a dramatic impact on the world. If you want to share with your network, here is some copy:
Congratulations @SHEnterprises on being a #classyawards Finalist! The 100 most innovative nonprofits of 2016 >> collab.live/finalists-2016
So what’s next? Becoming a Classy Awards Finalist means we’ll be traveling to Boston this June 14-16 for the Collaborative + Classy Awards, the largest social innovation event of the year! We’ll have the opportunity to meet and mingle with some amazing folks, like leaders from the United Nations Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Echoing Green, charity:water, and many more. The event ends with the Classy Awards, where the 10 Winners are announced live on stage in a surprise celebration. Join us as our special guest and be a part of the exciting celebration.
Thank you for your support!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My background is in chemistry and I’ve been with J&J for 22 years. I worked for many years in in product development for feminine hygiene products. Now my focus is more on external innovation, sustainability and social innovation.
How did you find out about SHE?
We heard about SHE’s approach to make affordable napkins from banana fibers and we reached out to Elizabeth Scharpf and offered our help.
What project have you been working on with SHE? How are you using your skills and talents to help advance SHE’s mission?
We began by improving the current process so that the products met the Rwandan Standards Board requirements. I then made a trip to Rwanda in September 2015, which helped us develop a new processes and equipment to increase production at the manufacturing site in Ngoma. I also participated in consumer research to refine the go! pad and its packaging to meet environmental standards. I also helped improve banana fiber quality.
What are some highlights of your volunteer work with SHE?
Having Dany visit us in NJ, visiting the manufacturing site in Ngoma, and visiting a banana cooperative and see how the fibers are produced.
What should people know about SHE?
One of SHE’s goals is to profitably manufacture menstrual pads in developing countries. The goal is to create a financially sustainable business model that is scalable and can be implemented in other banana growing regions in the developing world where women and girls have no access to safe and affordable sanitary napkins.