Project Name: she28
>> SHE uses Market-based approaches to address social problems in developing countries. working to combat social stigma of menstruation in African countries and empower women through business and investment-based strategy. <<
Project Type:
5) industrial/product design
Project Mission/Goal:
1) improve the human spirit
2) increase awareness of the environment and/or address climate change
3) respond to our growing need for clean water, power, shelter, healthcare, education
4) address humanitarian crises
Project Description:
SHE is a social venture using market-based approaches to address social problems in developing countries. Its first initiative, she28, is addressing girls' and women's lack of access to affordable sanitary pads when they menstruate causing them to miss school and/or work--up to 50 days per year. she28 helps women start their own businesses to manufacture and distribute affordable, eco-friendly sanitary pads by sourcing local, inexpensive, raw materials (e.g., banana fibers), establishing manufacturing systems, and leveraging existing distribution networks. Echoing Green, one of the premier, seed funders of social enterprises, named SHE one of the 20 most innovative social ventures worldwide (out of 1,500 applicants). Harvard Business School named SHE founder, Elizabeth Scharpf, its first Social Enterprise Fellow. President Clinton recognized SHE for its accomplishments at the Clinton Global Initiative.
Links:
http://www.sheinnovates.com/
http://sheinnovates.blogspot.com/
http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/csdp2010_entry-25282
Videos:
Project Details: (Per project detail form)
LOCATION: Rwanda
DATE: 2008–10
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: SHE (Sustainable Health Enterprises)
CAMPAIGN: SHE28
DESIGN TEAM: Kayibanda Ingabire Julian, Elizabeth Scharpf
PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: Teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and North Carolina State University
PRODUCT DESIGN: SHE
ANNUAL BUDGET: $200000 USD (2010)
COST OF MACHINE: $1500 USD
RECOGNITION: 2010 Curry Stone Design Prize
Nominated by Satu Jackson
