Her Initiative

Our Story, Our Evolution

In 2016, Her Initiative took root, fully blossoming into action in July 2019, propelled by a visionary team led by Lydia Charles Moyo. This group of young women embarked on a mission to champion the economic independence of girls and young women, aiming to redefine their narrative and establish a ‘new normal’.

Lydia's personal journey as a young woman striving for financial independence fueled the organization's inception. Her own experiences inspired a commitment to seeking solutions not only for herself but for other young women facing similar financial constraints. Today, Her Initiative stands as a testament to a girl who empowers herself to confront social and economic challenges. Lydia's initial motivation stemmed from witnessing her peers drop out of school due to poverty, child marriage, and early pregnancies. In 2012, she rallied fellow high school girls, sparking self-awareness campaigns and events on girls' rights and relevant laws across more than 10 schools in Dar es Salaam. Transitioning to university, Lydia spearheaded entrepreneurship campaigns like Panda events, fostering knowledge on entrepreneurship and facilitating connections with successful industry leaders.

Target group

Our work supports and prioritizes girls and young women and girls with limited economic opportunities in formal and informal labour markets, excluded from productive markets, and with increased economic vulnerability due to marginalization. We primarily work with and support women who are micro-entrepreneurs (often in the informal sector), small-scale producers, workers in the formal and informal sectors, and financially excluded women.

Mission

To promote financial resilience and digital inclusion amongst girls and young women and enable them to challenge oppressive and discriminatory practices.

Vision

We envision an inclusive society where adolescent girls and young women have the power to choose and create opportunities for themselves and others.

Our Strategic Objectives

Strategic Objective 1

To pursue women’s economic empowerment agenda that is inclusive through greater agency, equal opportunities, access, and control over resources.

Strategic Objective 2

To promote women’s economic empowerment at the national level within the context of SRHR and GBV.

Strategic Objective 3

Build a sustainable, resilient, and competent organization that supports our efforts towards realizing Her Initiative’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.

Our Theory of Change

IF an inclusive environment is provided; IF women’s agency and capacity to influence financial and economic decision-making, at both individual level and collectively, is enhanced; IF women’s productive role is recognized and aspirations to become financially independent are respected by the entire society; THEN women will have a voice in decision making and equal access to and control over resources which ultimately will contribute to achieving equal benefits for their economic contribution, gender equality and poverty reduction.

Our Approach

At the core of our mission lies a strategic fusion of economic empowerment and technology, catalyzing the dismantling of socioeconomic barriers that impede the boundless potential of young women and girls. Our strategies are meticulously crafted to foster a transformative environment, propelling these beneficiaries towards the realization of their fullest capabilities:

1. Girls Agency Empowerment

Our foremost initiative revolves around instilling self-efficacy in young women, nurturing their understanding of rights and amplifying their voices. This empowering approach not only equips them to advocate for their rights but also enables them to champion the needs of fellow young women within their communities.

2. Skills Development

Through targeted training and mentorship programs, we embark on a journey of mindset and skills transformation among young women. This strategic investment elevates their capabilities, empowering them to pursue financial freedom with resilience and confidence.

3. Linkages to Resources and Opportunities

We strategically forge connections between young women and essential economic resources. This ensures that they not only have access to opportunities but also the support necessary to harness their potential and navigate the path to financial independence.

4. Creation of an Enabling Environment

Through concerted collective efforts and advocacy, we champion socio-economic policies and laws that remove barriers obstructing young women from exercising their economic rights and securing their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). By creating an enabling environment, we pave the way for a more equitable and inclusive society.

At the heart of Her Initiative is a commitment to amplify the ideas of young women and girls, ensuring our solutions are not only impactful but tailored to the real needs of the community. By investing in our cause, you become a vital part of a movement that empowers young women and girls, reshaping the future of Tanzania—one girl at a time. Join us in fostering a world where no girl is limited by circumstance, and every idea contributes to meaningful change.

Our interventions

Mshiko Clubs: Through this program, we empower girls to stay in school by instilling financial literacy, savings and extracurricular entrepreneurship habits . Over 1000 girls in 10 secondary schools in Dar es Salaam have benefited from this initiative.

Panda Digital: Our Swahili hybrid e-learning platform has reached over 5,000 young women, providing them with access to skills, personalized business support, and social justice, enabling them to start and run smart businesses.

Youth Employability Boot Camp: We have trained, mentored and provided job placements to 145 youth graduates, equipping them with essential technical and soft skills to enhance employability and bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Panda on the Ground: Through theoretical and practical training, mentorship, and linkages to financial resources, we have empowered 210 young women to establish their own businesses.

Digimali: Our program has digitized over 2265 youth businesses, enhancing their knowledge and skills of online business, digital ecosystems, finance literacy, and business management, opening doors to self-employment opportunities.

Plan B Project: By providing education, entrepreneurship training, and support to out-of-school adolescent girls, we have effectively combated gender-based violence and empowered survivors to build financial resilience.

FIKIA+: In partnership with ICAP Columbia University, we have supported retention to HIV treatment to 103 young women living with HIV with economic empowerment sessions, creating demand for testing and treatment services while promoting livelihood and financial resilience.

STAWI Lab

The 'Stawi Lab project is at the forefront of an ambitious ecosystem-building initiative, with a singular goal: supporting youth-led organizations dedicated to championing the rights and interests of girls and women. Our approach is multifaceted, weaving together capacity-building, mentorship, and the provision of unrestricted seed grants. In our collective movement, these youth-led organizations ardently advocate for the decolonization of funding, rallying for research, data, and empirical evidence to underpin funding approaches that are not only inclusive but also imbued with deep meaning. To date, Stawi Lab has proudly supported 18 organizations across six regions in Tanzania, marking significant strides toward our commitment to empowering the next generation of change-makers.

Stawi Lab’s mission is to empower youth-led organisations and create a supportive ecosystem where they can thrive. The project aims at bridging the gap between recognition and resources, equipping young changemakers with the tools, knowledge, and financial support necessary to advance their work on girls' and women's rights. Through capacity building, mentorship, and seed funding, the Stawi Lab project sought to revolutionize the funding landscape, fostering a new era of youth-led initiatives driving social change and creating a more inclusive and equitable world.

9. Our IMPACT

At Her Initiative, our impact speaks volumes — directly engaging and uplifting 14,572 young women, facilitating the establishment of 210 women-owned businesses, and driving the digitization of business operations for 2,265 women and youth. Through our Panda Digital platform, we've disseminated essential business concepts to over 6000 young minds, unlocking their entrepreneurial potential.

Our commitment extends to the health and well-being of the community, with over 103 HIV-positive young women returning to Antiretroviral Therapy Services after receiving empowerment through Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and economic programs. Additionally, we've empowered 145 youth graduates with important employability skills, providing them with valuable job placement opportunities in partner organizations, spanning corporate entities and NGOs.

Furthermore, our dedication to nurturing the sector is evident in our support for 18 youth-led non-profit organizations, equipping them with the capacity and seed funding needed to catalyze positive change.

Our Team

At the heart of our mission, we are a dynamic team of young women leaders who intimately understand and resonate with the challenges faced by our peers. Our identity is rooted in being girl-centric, where the needs and aspirations of young women and girls are at the forefront of every endeavour we undertake. As torchbearers of positive change, we confront the challenges of Tanzania's economy with resolved tenacity through bold, young women and youth-led initiatives.