RefuSHE Selected for Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls Funding
RefuSHE has been named one of 34 selected organizations to receive funds from the Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls. The $25 million philanthropy challenge was launched in March with a challenge to the global nonprofit community to submit their boldest and most innovative ideas to create a more equitable economic reality for women and girls.
(RefuSHE staff from left) Loise Kamau, Associate Director of the Girls Empowerment Program; Susan Thiari, Computer Science Teacher & Digital Learning Specialist; Doris Nelima, Interim CEO; Mariam Chikushe, Child Protection & Case Management Officer - Community Outreach; Rose Kanana, Chief Programs Officer
Since 2008, RefuSHE has operated in Nairobi, Kenya supporting refugee girls and young women to reach their fullest potential through a distinct holistic model of services targeting needs for protection, education, and empowerment. To enhance the resiliency and economic independence of young refugee women in urban Kenya, RefuSHE will provide digital skills trainings and opportunities to connect to the growing online freelance economy. RefuSHE will implement this project with its partner Konexio, an organization that promotes the inclusion of refugees and disadvantaged populations in the workforce through digital skills training and job access.
“With the help of Google.org Impact Challenge for Women & Girls, RefuSHE and Konexio will be able to address the lack of economic opportunity for refugee women in Kenya by linking them to safe and dignified livelihoods in the online freelance economy,” says Doris Nelima, Interim CEO of RefuSHE. “This capital and support come at a critical time and will be used to train 180 young refugee women in digital skills that will help them to access online employment opportunities.”
RefuSHE’s project is one of nine African & Middle Eastern projects selected for this funding cohort out of nearly 8,000 applications globally. In addition to funding, RefuSHE will participate in a four-month accelerator program led by Google’s Accelerator and Women Techmakers communities and Impact Challenge partner Vital Voices to move projects forward.
“The young women in RefuSHE’s programs have been affected by war, conflict, and violence. This program is a win-win, not only because it graduates these women into economic independence, but also because it contributes to the global market workforce needs,” says Dina Dukhqan, US-based Managing Director of RefuSHE. “We want to demonstrate that online freelance work in the digital economy is a viable livelihood solution for refugees.”
(In the IT Lab) Susan Thiari, Computer Science Teacher & Digital Learning Specialist at RefuSHE
According to the World Economic Forum 2020, “shortages and mismatches in desired digital skills also pose an ongoing challenge worldwide. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills in the future (United Nations, 2018).”
“We aim to foster a world where everyone is included in the digitalization of society,” states Jean Guo, CEO and Co-Founder of Konexio. “Our mission is to turn this digital transformation into an opportunity in Kenya, so we look forward to working alongside RefuSHE and Google.org to bring about a world in which every woman is able to realize her full potential, have equal access to opportunity, and contribute meaningfully to society.”
Google.org partnered with a women-led panel of experts, including leaders like Graça Machel and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and gender equity-focused organizations Vital Voices and Project Everyone to evaluate proposals based on four key criteria: innovation, impact, feasibility, and scalability. The selected nonprofits have outlined projects that will help women and girls, especially those in geographically, economically, or socially marginalized populations, reach their full economic potential.
“Globally, women have been nearly twice as likely to lose their jobs during COVID-19 as men. It’s vital that we elevate and support work that empowers women and girls to reach their full economic potential, especially in marginalized communities,” says Jacquelline Fuller, President of Google.org. “The pandemic recovery must be an inclusive one, and we know that when we invest in women and girls, we all benefit.”
About RefuSHE
RefuSHE protects, educates, and empowers orphaned, unaccompanied, and separated refugee girls and young women to build healthier and more resilient futures for themselves and their children. Through a one-of-a-kind holistic model and commitment to trauma-informed care, RefuSHE ensures refugee girls, women, and children across East Africa have equal access to safety, education, and economic prosperity. In partnership with Konexio, RefuSHE will provide digital skills trainings and connect economically excluded refugee young women in urban Kenya to the growing online freelance economy. RefuSHE will also provide wrap-around services – including counseling, daycare, and a laptop buy-back program – to help refugee women launch their careers after graduating from the program.
About Google.org
Google.org, Google's philanthropy, supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world's biggest challenges. Google.org accelerates their progress by connecting them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. Google.org engages with these believers-turned-doers who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. Google.org wants a world that works for everyone—and they believe technology and innovation can move the needle.