Project Lead(s): Jumanne Mtambalike
Issue
Young women and girls in Central Tanzania are at high risk of early marriage, unwanted pregnancy, HIV/AIDs infection, and ultimately poor maternal health.
Risks of poor maternal health are worsened for girls who do not complete high school and lack education.
Solution
Inspire 100 was an entrepreneurship acceleration program for young women and girls in the Iringa region of Tanzania.
The project aimed to develop a program that provided social entrepreneurship opportunities, while resolving misperceptions of important SRHR topics.
Inspire 100 partnered with local youth organizations, innovation hubs, and academic institutions to provide tech hack-a-thons, mentorship, and entrepreneurship competitions specifically for young women.
The project hoped to provide participants in the entrepreneurship competition the opportunity to grow and scale their business ideas.
Sexual and reproductive health mentorship and education was provided within the entrepreneurial program.
Outcome
The project reached 459 young women and girls with SRHR specific messages and education.
Received 222 proposed business ideas and elected 100 girls to compete in entrepreneurship competitions. All business ideas included SRHR components.
The top 10 business ideas were then entered into an accelerator competition. By the end, 6 business ideas were considered ready for market entry.
Through SRHR mentorship, girls improved their knowledge of reproductive and sexual health.