EmpowerBox

In rural Tanzania, a significant portion of the population faces challenges in accessing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, commodities, and services. This problem is particularly acute for girls and young women, who are often marginalized due to prevailing socio-cultural norms and economic disparities.

The lack of access to sanitary products and contraceptives is a major issue that affects the health and well-being of young women and girls.According to a report by UNICEF, approximately 1 in 10 school-age African girls do not attend school during menstruation or drop out due to lack of sanitation and menstrual products. This results in significant educational gaps and limits their future opportunities. 

Also, limited access to contraceptives contributes to high rates of unintended pregnancies. In Tanzania, the adolescent birth rate is 117 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19, one of the highest in the world. This often leads to a cycle of poverty and marginalization, as young mothers are less likely to complete their education and more likely to experience economic hardship.

EmpowerBox aims to address these challenges by providing a practical solution that increases access to essential SRHR commodities and information. Our monthly subscription boxes will be delivered to rural hospitals and contain sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials. This will not only improve the availability of these essential items but also provide an opportunity for education and awareness-raising around SRHR issues. By addressing these key factors contributing to the problem, we hope to empower girls and young women to take control of their health and well-being, and ultimately contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.7, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services.

Our solution will have a significant impact at both the local and global levels. In Tanzania, we aim to reach at least 5,000 girls and young women by the end of 2024, with plans to expand to other regions in the future. Globally, our model can be replicated in other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges, thereby contributing to improved SRHR outcomes for girls and young women worldwide.

EmpowerBox is a monthly subscription box service that delivers essential sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) commodities and educational materials to rural hospitals in Tanzania, starting with 9 hospitals in the Morogoro region. Our goal is to improve access to sanitary products, contraceptives, and SRHR information for girls and young women in these communities.

Each EmpowerBox will contain the following items:

1. Sanitary Products: Pads, tampons, and menstrual cups to address the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products in rural areas.
 
2. Contraceptives: A range of contraceptive options, including condoms and oral contraceptives, to help reduce unintended pregnancies.

3. Educational Materials: Pamphlets and booklets with information on SRHR topics, such as puberty, menstruation, family planning, and sexually transmitted infections. These materials will be culturally sensitive and tailored to the needs of the community.

The process works as follows:

1. Subscription: Rural hospitals in the Morogoro region sign up for a monthly subscription to receive EmpowerBoxes.

2. Delivery: EmpowerBoxes are packed and shipped to the hospitals each month.

3. Distribution: Hospital staff distribute the EmpowerBoxes to girls and young women who visit the hospital or participate in community outreach programs.

4. Education: Hospital staff or community health workers use the educational materials in the EmpowerBox to conduct educational sessions on SRHR topics.

EmpowerBox will leverage technology to streamline the subscription and delivery process. Hospitals will be able to manage their subscription and track their deliveries through a user-friendly online platform. In addition, we will use social media to raise awareness about SRHR issues and promote our solution.

Providing access to essential SRHR commodities and information, EmpowerBox empowers girls and young women to take control of their health and well-being. Our solution also supports the work of rural hospitals by supplementing their limited resources and helping them to reach more people in their communities.

EmpowerBox serves girls and young women in rural communities in Tanzania, specifically starting with 9 hospitals in the Morogoro region. These communities are often underserved due to a lack of access to essential sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) commodities and education. Girls and young women in these communities face significant barriers to accessing sanitary products, contraceptives, and accurate SRHR information, which can lead to negative health outcomes, including unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and complications related to menstruation.

The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, in particular, can have a profound impact on the lives of girls and young women, affecting their ability to attend school and participate in daily activities. Similarly, the lack of access to contraceptives can result in unintended pregnancies, which can have serious consequences for the health and well-being of girls and young women, as well as their families and communities.

EmpowerBox addresses the needs of these girls and young women by providing them with access to essential SRHR commodities and education. Each EmpowerBox contains sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials that are tailored to the needs of the community. By delivering these items directly to rural hospitals, we ensure that girls and young women have easy access to the resources they need to manage their reproductive health.

In addition to providing access to essential commodities, EmpowerBox also includes educational materials that address key SRHR topics, such as puberty, menstruation, family planning, and STIs. These materials are culturally sensitive and tailored to the needs of the community, providing girls and young women with accurate and relevant information to make informed decisions about their health.

The impact of EmpowerBox on the lives of girls and young women in rural Tanzania will be significant. By improving access to sanitary products, contraceptives, and education, EmpowerBox empowers girls and young women to take control of their health and well-being. This, in turn, can improve their ability to attend school, participate in daily activities, and contribute to their communities. Furthermore, by supporting the work of rural hospitals and supplementing their limited resources, EmpowerBox helps to improve the overall health and well-being of communities in rural Tanzania.

Our team is deeply connected to the communities we serve, having spent significant time living and working in rural Tanzania. Our founder and team lead, Flora, grew up in a small village in the Morogoro region and has firsthand experience of the challenges faced by girls and young women in accessing SRHR commodities and education.

Flora's personal story is a testament to the importance of empowering girls and young women to take control of their reproductive health. As a young girl, Flora experienced the difficulties of managing her menstruation without access to sanitary products. This experience fueled her passion for improving the lives of girls and young women in rural Tanzania and was the inspiration for starting EmpowerBox.

Our team is also representative of the communities we serve, with several team members hailing from rural areas in Tanzania. This proximity to the communities ensures that we have a deep understanding of the local context and the specific needs of the girls and young women we serve.

We have also prioritized engaging with the communities as we develop and implement our solution. We have conducted extensive consultations with girls and young women, as well as with local leaders, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders, to ensure that our solution is tailored to the needs of the community. These consultations have shaped the content of the EmpowerBox, ensuring that the sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials included are culturally sensitive and relevant to the needs of the community.

We have established partnerships with local NGOs and community-based organizations that have extensive experience working in rural Tanzania. These partnerships have provided us with valuable insights into the local context and have helped to inform the design and implementation of our solution.

The input and ideas of the communities we serve are at the forefront of our solution. We are committed to ensuring that our solution is meaningfully guided by the communities' needs and agendas. We have established feedback mechanisms to gather input from the girls and young women who receive the EmpowerBox, and we are constantly iterating on our solution based on their feedback. By prioritizing the voices and needs of the communities we serve, we are ensuring that our solution is truly impactful and transformative.

Our solution, EmpowerBox, currently serves around 250 individuals across 9 rural hospitals in the Morogoro region of Tanzania. These individuals are primarily young people and women who lack access to essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) commodities and information. Through our subscription boxes, we are able to provide them with sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials that are otherwise difficult to access in their communities. 

This not only helps to improve their SRH outcomes but also empowers them to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. As we continue to expand our reach and partnerships, we hope to serve even more people in the region and eventually across other parts of Tanzania.

EmpowerBox is an innovative solution that addresses the lack of access to essential sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials in rural Tanzania. Our approach is threefold:

1. Monthly Subscription Boxes: We deliver carefully curated boxes to rural hospitals, which are then distributed to women and girls in the community. This ensures a steady supply of essential SRH commodities and information, reducing the burden on individuals to source these items themselves.

2. Educational Materials: In addition to physical products, our boxes include educational materials that are culturally sensitive and tailored to the needs of the community. This addresses the lack of access to accurate and relevant SRH information in these areas.

3. Community Engagement: We actively engage with the communities we serve, gathering feedback to continually improve our boxes and ensure they meet the needs of women and girls. This participatory approach empowers the community to take an active role in improving SRH outcomes.

Our innovative solution has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the SRH space. By providing a steady supply of essential SRH commodities and information, we can improve the health and well-being of women and girls, ultimately leading to better educational and economic outcomes. Our model could be replicated in other rural areas around the world, providing a scalable solution to a global problem.

The technology underpinning our solution is the subscription box model, which is a new application in the SRH space. This model allows us to reach a large number of people in a cost-effective manner, while also providing a steady supply of essential commodities and information.

Our impact goals for EmpowerBox are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 5: Gender Equality.

Next Year (Short-Term Goals):

1. Reach and serve at least 500 women and girls in rural Tanzania with our monthly subscription boxes.
2. Develop and include educational materials in the local language, covering topics such as reproductive health, menstrual hygiene, and family planning.
3. Establish partnerships with local organizations and hospitals to ensure the smooth delivery and distribution of our subscription boxes.

Next Five Years (Long-Term Goals):

1. Expand our reach to serve at least 10,000 women and girls in rural Tanzania.
2. Develop a comprehensive educational program, leveraging technology to provide remote learning opportunities on SRH topics.
3. Contribute to reducing the gender education gap in rural Tanzania by providing necessary SRH commodities and educational materials that empower women and girls to attend school regularly.
4. Collaborate with government bodies and other stakeholders to advocate for policies that support SRH education and access to essential commodities in rural areas.

How We Will Achieve Our Goals:

1. Community Engagement and Feedback: Continuously engage with the communities we serve to understand their needs better and gather feedback on our subscription boxes and educational materials.
2. Technology Integration: Leverage technology to provide remote learning opportunities and improve our distribution model for the subscription boxes.
3. Partnership Development: Establish strong partnerships with local organizations, hospitals, and government bodies to ensure the success of our program.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system to measure the impact of our program on the lives of women and girls in rural Tanzania.

By focusing on these specific goals and strategies, we aim to have a transformational impact on the lives of women and girls in rural Tanzania, contributing to their health, well-being, and empowerment.

Theory of Change for EmpowerBox:

Activities:

1. Delivering monthly subscription boxes containing sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials to rural hospitals.
2. Engaging with local communities to gather feedback and understand their needs.
3. Developing partnerships with local organizations and hospitals to ensure the smooth delivery and distribution of our subscription boxes.
4. Leveraging technology to provide remote learning opportunities on SRH topics.

Outputs:

1. Increased access to essential SRH commodities and educational materials for 3,000 women and girls in rural Tanzania within the first year.
2. Strengthened partnerships and collaboration with at least 5 local stakeholders.
3. Enhanced community awareness and knowledge on SRH topics, reaching at least 10,000 community members within the first year.

Short-Term Outcomes:

1. Improved health and well-being of at least 3,000 women and girls in rural Tanzania due to increased access to essential SRH commodities within the first year.
2. Increased knowledge and awareness of SRH topics among at least 10,000 community members, contributing to informed decision-making.
3. Strengthened community support and collaboration for SRH initiatives, with at least 5 local stakeholders actively participating in the program.

Long-Term Outcomes:

1. Reduction in the gender education gap in rural Tanzania due to improved access to essential SRH commodities and educational materials for at least 10,000 women and girls within five years.
2. Positive changes in community attitudes and behaviors regarding SRH topics, contributing to a supportive environment for at least 100,000 women and girls within five years.
3. Contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health, education, and gender equality, impacting at least 150,000 community members within five years.

Evidence to Support Links:

• Studies have shown that access to essential SRH commodities and education can significantly improve the health and well-being of women and girls, leading to positive outcomes such as reduced rates of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Our engagement with local communities and feedback from beneficiaries will provide valuable insights into the impact of our program on the target population.
• Third-party research and data from interviews with our target population will be used to assess the effectiveness of our program and make necessary adjustments.

By following this theory of change, we expect our solution to have a significant impact on the lives of women and girls in rural Tanzania, contributing to their health, well-being, and empowerment.

Our solution team consists of the following:

• Full-time staff: 7
• Part-time staff: 2
• Contractors or other workers: 1

In total, we have 10 dedicated individuals working collaboratively to ensure the successful delivery and impact of our subscription SRHR boxes to rural hospitals in Tanzania. Each team member brings unique skills and expertise, contributing to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of our solution

We began working on our solution, EmpowerBox, in May 2023. Since then, we have dedicated our time and efforts to develop and refine our subscription SRHR boxes, ensuring they meet the needs of rural hospitals in Tanzania and the communities they serve. In just a few months, we have established partnerships with 9 rural hospitals in the Morogoro region and have begun delivering our boxes to these facilities. Our team is fully committed to the success of this solution and its potential to make a significant impact on the SRHR outcomes of young people in rural Tanzania.

EmpowerBox is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment both within our team and in the communities we serve. Our leadership team is composed of individuals from various backgrounds and experiences, bringing a rich diversity of perspectives to our work.

In terms of diversity, we strive to include people from different social, cultural, and identity-based backgrounds in our team. We believe that a diverse team is better equipped to understand and address the needs of the diverse communities we serve. We are continually seeking ways to enhance the diversity of our team and are open to collaborating with individuals and organizations that can bring new perspectives to our work.

In terms of equity, we are committed to providing access to opportunities and resources for all members of our team, as well as the communities we serve. We recognize that some individuals and communities face unique and systemic barriers that prevent them from fully participating in society. Our goal is to address these disparities and strive to eliminate these barriers. For example, we have partnered with rural hospitals to ensure that our SRHR boxes are accessible to individuals in remote and underserved areas.

In terms of inclusivity, we aim to create an environment where all members of our team and the communities we serve feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. We have established a code of conduct that promotes inclusivity and respect, and we regularly engage in training and discussions to enhance our team's understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We are actively working to incorporate the voices and perspectives of the communities we serve into our work. We regularly conduct surveys and interviews with community members to understand their needs and preferences and use this feedback to improve our solution. By engaging with the communities we serve, we aim to ensure that our solution is truly inclusive and meets the needs of those it is intended to benefit.

We are aware that there is always room for improvement, and we are committed to continuously learning and growing in our approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community of innovators who are committed to creating positive social impact and are eager to learn from others and share our own experiences and learnings along the way.

EmpowerBox operates on a social enterprise business model, providing valuable products and services to rural hospitals and the communities they serve while generating revenue to sustain and scale our impact.

Our main product is the monthly subscription SRHR box, which contains sanitary products, contraceptives, and educational materials. Rural hospitals subscribe to receive these boxes, which they then distribute to individuals in their communities. This ensures that people in rural areas have access to essential SRHR commodities and information, addressing a significant need in these communities.

The hospitals pay a subscription fee for the SRHR boxes, which is our primary source of revenue. The subscription fee is designed to be affordable for the hospitals while also covering our costs and allowing us to reinvest in the business. We also seek funding from grants, donations, and other sources to support our operations and scale our impact.

To providing value to the rural hospitals and communities we serve, our business model also creates value for our team and stakeholders. By operating as a social enterprise, we can generate sustainable revenue that allows us to invest in our team and infrastructure, ensuring that we can continue to deliver high-quality products and services to our beneficiaries.

Our business model is centered around the belief that access to SRHR commodities and information is a fundamental right, and that by providing these essential resources to people in rural areas, we can improve their health outcomes and empower them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. By operating as a social enterprise, we are able to create a sustainable and scalable impact, improving the lives of individuals and communities in rural Tanzania and beyond.

Our plan for financial sustainability revolves around a multi-pronged approach:

1. Subscription Revenue: Our primary source of revenue comes from the subscription fees that rural hospitals pay to receive our SRHR boxes. We have carefully priced our boxes to ensure affordability for the hospitals while covering our operational costs. As we scale and serve more hospitals, this revenue stream will grow, contributing significantly to our financial sustainability.

2. Grants and Donations: In the short term, we plan to seek grants and donations from governmental organizations, NGOs, and other entities focused on improving women's health and empowerment. These funds will be used to subsidize the cost of the boxes for the hospitals, ensuring that they remain affordable while also supporting our operational costs.

3. Partnerships: We aim to form partnerships with other organizations and companies that align with our mission. These partnerships could include co-developing products, sharing resources, or cross-promoting each other's work, thereby reducing our operational costs and increasing our impact.

4. Product Diversification: In the future, we plan to diversify our product offerings to include additional health and educational products that meet the needs of our target population. These new products will provide additional revenue streams and further enhance our impact.

5. Investment: Once we have a proven track record of impact and financial viability, we will explore the possibility of raising investment capital to scale our operations. This will provide the necessary funds to reach more hospitals and communities, ultimately leading to greater financial sustainability.

Our ultimate goal is to establish EmpowerBox as a self-sustaining social enterprise, with our revenue streams covering our expected expenses while also allowing for growth and innovation. We believe that our approach of combining subscription revenue with grants, donations, partnerships, product diversification, and investment will enable us to achieve this goal, thereby ensuring that we can continue to provide essential SRHR commodities and information to rural hospitals and communities in Tanzania and beyond.