HerStory Podcast Series Youth Challenge International

In this episode, Shafreen Bagha, HerStart Program and Partnerships Fellow, speaks with Sheila Mwiny Makungu from the Ministry of Youth Zanzibar, one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Tanzania. Sheila shares how the ministry empowers young people in Zanzibar through training in leadership, entrepreneurship and vocational skills. She highlights the challenges faced by youth, such as socioeconomic disparities and lack of resources, and how the center addresses these issues by providing essentia...

In this episode, Katherine Prior, HerStart Communications and Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, speaks with Professor Daniel Ayoung of Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Ghana. Professor Ayoung discusses the university's efforts to address gender issues on campus and the impact of entrepreneurship training programs on women at BTU and in the surrounding community. The conversation highlights BTU's focus on ecological agriculture, the transformative pow...

In this episode, Sarah Harvey, HerStart Communications Fellow, speaks with Stella Lukwago from Social Innovation Academy (SINA), one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Mpigi, Uganda. Stella discusses SINA’s mission to empower marginalized young people to become self-reliant social entrepreneurs. She highlights the transformative impact of HerStart's collaboration with SINA, particularly in creating opportunities for rural women to drive social change and achieve economic independence. T...

In this episode, Bobbi Martellacci, HerStart Communications Fellow, speaks with Brenda Geofrey from Barefoot College Zanzibar, one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Tanzania. Brenda shares how Barefoot College Zanzibar empowers rural women through practical training in solar energy, beekeeping and regenerative agriculture. She discusses the challenges of advancing gender equality, including resistance from male family members, and the innovative entrepreneurship training program that ...

In this episode, Angel George Buendia, HerStart Program and Partnerships Fellow speaks with Ukasha Mohammed from Norsaac’s NiV Hub, one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Ghana. Ukasha shares how Norsaac supports young people to achieve economic independence and sustainable livelihoods though vocational skills development and entrepreneurship training. He also discusses sociocultural practices as the biggest challenge to gender equality and how the partnership with HerStart has s...

In this episode, Elinam Akogo, HerStart Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, speaks with Agness Bweye from the Practical Permaculture Institute of Zanzibar (PPIZ), one of YCI’s HerStart partners in Tanzania. Agness shares how PPIZ empowers women and youth through permaculture education and sustainable livelihood initiatives. She explains the core ethics of permaculture—earth care, people care and fair share—and how these principles are applied to address the intertwined challenges of c...