WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

 

Why I Give to SHE: Meet Molly Johnson

in Blog  by connie lewin

Molly Johnson_Donor and Volunteer_July 2015How did you first get involved with SHE?

I heard about SHE through the School of Visual Arts, where I was tasked with a logo design assignment for them.

What is unique about SHE?

SHE is unique because it is a sustainable, long-term solution. The go! pads help communities in reciprocal ways by empowering women and creating jobs.

What impact have you seen from your donation and volunteer work?

I have seen my designs featured on the website and social media including the 2014 holiday campaign.

Return on investment when you give to SHE

An example of Molly’s work for SHE’s 2014 Holiday Campaign.

What makes you excited about SHE’s future direction?

I am excited to see SHE really thrive in Rwanda, so that similar initiatives are carried out in other communities around the world.

What would you say to someone thinking about becoming a donor or volunteer to SHE? I would say that women can miss up to 50 days of work/school a year if they don’t have sanitary products. 

To discover more of Molly’s talents, check out her portfolio at mollymasonjohnson.com 

If you want to use your talents for purpose to help further our mission, email us at supportshe@sheinnovates.com.

Scaling Mountains to Solve An Overlooked Issue

in Blog  by connie lewin
Eva Johnston Kilimanjaro Climb with go pads July 2015 .jpg

#climbforSHE team member Eva Johnston on Mt. Kilimanjaro with a pack of go! pads.

Our #climbforSHE team is back from scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro and raised $51,615 dollars! Read about her life-changing experience:

Eva, one of our esteemed SHE climbers recounts her experience climbing Mount Kilimanjaro:

My attempt to sum our trip up…magical to the point of being miraculous! SENE was an incredible expedition company, our SHE climbing team consisted of rock star climbers and every single woman on the trip was and continues to be an inspiration to me!  Our circumstances couldn’t have worked out any better. The weather was as close to perfect as one could hope for. Additionally, noting that our ages ranged from 17 to 71, some with zero climbing or camping skills (me and my daughter included), others with zero training we ALL reached the summit safely and with smiles on our faces! I feel so lucky and blessed to have been a part of this group of women.

To Bella—our brilliant, compassionate, motivated climb leader and the other equally inspiring young climbers, Mia, Beatrice and Chloë, you all give me such hope for the future and I want to thank you for being such positive role models for my daughter while we climbed the mountain. To Sara, Joanne, Connie and Gayle—I was truly lucky to be up there breathing the same air as you ladies!  I am in awe of your strength, motivation, and passion for SHE, for helping other women across our planet and your commitment to leaving this planet better than we found it.

As anticipated, I am feeling a post-climb, post-adrenaline rush sadness acknowledging that this amazing experience has come to an end. I’m certain I will be dreaming of the pure, cold air I was breathing on Mount Kilimanjaro, the stars that looked like I could reach out and touch, the sound of our awesome guides waking us up to check vitals each morning and the hot cup of coffee I knew was on its way from our always smiling team of SENE porters and the views from my tent every morning. As amazing as pictures are, they simply cannot capture the magic of the moment that is experienced and taken in by the human eye!

Celebrating Menstrual Hygiene Day

in Blog  by connie lewin

 

SHE celebrated the second annual Menstrual Hygiene Day, founded by WASH United, nationwide in Rwanda. An estimated 2.5 million people were buzzing with new menstrual health information during our live Q&A on Radio Rwanda. We also led local celebrations with 703 boys and girls from The Akilah Institute for Women, Riviera School, and the Rukara sector. They celebrated Menstrual Hygiene Day with skits, awareness sessions, and a soccer match!

And the world is taking notice of Menstrual Hygiene Day too! Forbes and Ashoka named us 1 of 5 Amazing Companies in Menstrual Hygiene. NPR acknowledged our pioneering approach of using business solutions to keep girls in school and women working.

Our friends at The Akilah Institute of Women gave some encouraging messages to the younger girls of Rwanda: