SRHR Hackathons

SRHR Hackathons aims to tackle the pervasive issue of limited access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, services, and commodities that affects millions of young girls and women globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Tanzania.

In Tanzania, cultural norms, stigmatization, and economic disparities severely restrict young women's access to SRHR care. Despite improvements in recent years, a significant percentage of Tanzanian girls and women aged 15-49 have unmet needs for family planning, and many lack access to essential SRHR information and services. Adolescent pregnancy rates remain high, with approximately 27% of girls aged 15-19 having begun childbearing. This highlights the pressing need for innovative solutions that can address these challenges and empower young girls and women to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

Globally, millions of girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries face similar challenges. They often lack access to accurate SRHR information and services, which hinders their ability to make informed choices about their bodies and futures. This is further compounded by societal norms and taboos surrounding women's sexuality and reproductive health.

SRHR Hackathons addresses these challenges by creating a space for young girls to actively engage in finding solutions to the SRHR challenges they face in their communities. By leveraging the power of technology and innovation, the initiative aims to break down traditional barriers to access and facilitate open dialogues around SRHR. This innovative approach is rooted in the belief that young girls are best positioned to understand and solve the challenges they face, ultimately improving SRHR outcomes for themselves and their communities.

The scale of the problem is enormous, with millions of young girls and women worldwide lacking access to essential SRHR services and information. SRHR Hackathons aims to empower these young girls to take control of their health and rights, thereby creating lasting change in their communities and beyond. Through collaborative efforts and the development of innovative solutions, the initiative seeks to address the root cause barriers to SRHR care and improve the lives of young girls and women around the world.

SRHR Hackathons is a unique initiative that brings together young girls and women to develop innovative solutions to address sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) challenges in their communities. Through a series of hackathons, participants are provided with the resources and support necessary to turn their ideas into reality.

The initiative works by hosting hackathons where young girls and women, with the support of mentors and industry experts, brainstorm, design, and develop innovative solutions that address specific SRHR challenges in their communities. The technology used during these hackathons includes software development tools, mobile applications, and other digital platforms that enable participants to create and showcase their solutions.

To date, we have successfully hosted four hackathons, where approximately 25 young girls have developed and showcased their innovative ideas related to SRHR. Some of the notable solutions developed during these hackathons include:

1. A mobile application that provides accurate and comprehensive SRHR information tailored to the needs of young girls and women.
2. A digital platform that connects young girls and women with SRHR service providers in their communities.
3. A virtual reality experience that simulates the challenges faced by young girls and women in accessing SRHR services, designed to raise awareness and drive action.

These solutions are not only innovative but also practical, addressing real-world challenges faced by young girls and women in their communities. They empower young girls and women to take control of their sexual and reproductive health and rights, breaking down traditional barriers to access and facilitating open dialogues around SRHR.

The SRHR Hackathons initiative is grounded in the belief that technology and innovation can play a crucial role in improving SRHR outcomes for young girls and women worldwide. By providing them with the resources and support they need to develop their solutions, the initiative is helping to create a generation of empowered young women who are equipped to tackle the SRHR challenges they face in their communities and beyond.

Our solution serves young girls and women in Tanzania and potentially around the world, focusing on those who are most vulnerable and underserved in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services.

Currently, young girls and women in Tanzania face significant barriers in accessing accurate and comprehensive SRHR information and services. Cultural taboos and stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health often prevent open discussions on these topics. Additionally, there is a lack of youth-friendly SRHR services, and young girls and women may feel judged or discriminated against when seeking these services.

The SRHR Hackathons initiative addresses these needs by empowering young girls and women to develop innovative solutions that improve access to SRHR information and services. By providing a platform for them to showcase their ideas, we are not only giving them a voice but also the opportunity to be part of the solution.

The impact of our solution on the lives of young girls and women is multifaceted:

1. Improved Access to Information: The development of mobile applications and digital platforms that provide accurate and comprehensive SRHR information tailored to the needs of young girls and women will improve their access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their health.

2. Increased Connection with SRHR Services: By connecting young girls and women with SRHR service providers in their communities through digital platforms, we are helping to break down the barriers that prevent them from accessing these services.

3. Raised Awareness and Advocacy: Virtual reality experiences and other innovative solutions that simulate the challenges faced by young girls and women in accessing SRHR services will raise awareness about these challenges and drive advocacy efforts to improve access to these services.

Jamila, our team leader, is deeply connected to the communities we serve. Born and raised in Tanzania, she has witnessed firsthand the challenges that young girls and women face when it comes to accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services. Her personal experiences and understanding of the cultural context and barriers in Tanzania are invaluable in guiding our solution to be culturally sensitive and effective.

Our team, comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise, is united in our commitment to improving the SRHR outcomes for young girls and women in Tanzania. We are representative of the communities we serve, with team members who have lived experiences of the challenges we are addressing. This personal connection to the problem ensures that we are not just designing a solution for the community, but with the community.

To understand the needs of the young girls and women we are serving, we actively engage them in the design and implementation of our solution. This includes conducting regular consultations and feedback sessions with the target population, as well as piloting our initiatives in the communities before scaling them up. We also collaborate with local organizations and stakeholders who are already working in the field of SRHR to leverage their insights and networks.

Our approach is rooted in the principle of co-design, where the communities we serve are not just passive recipients of our solution, but active contributors to its development. The ideas and solutions developed during the hackathons are a testament to this approach, as they are born out of the lived experiences and needs of the young girls and women themselves.

Our hackathons have directly impacted 120 young girls by providing them with a platform to develop and showcase their innovative solutions to SRHR challenges. Out of these, 20 young girls have successfully developed groundbreaking innovations that directly address the SRHR needs in their communities. 

These innovations range from mobile applications to educational programs, all designed with the specific needs of their communities in mind. By participating in our hackathons, these young girls have not only developed practical solutions to SRHR challenges, but have also gained valuable skills and knowledge that will empower them to continue being agents of change in their communities.

Our solution, SRHR Hackathons, is innovative because it combines technology and community engagement to address Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) challenges faced by young girls in Tanzania and globally. By hosting hackathons, we provide a platform for young girls to actively participate in finding solutions to the SRHR challenges they face in their communities, leveraging technology as a tool for social change.

One of the key innovative aspects of our solution is the active involvement of the target population in the solution development process. Young girls are not just beneficiaries of the solution; they are also the creators and drivers of the solution. This approach ensures that the solutions developed are relevant, culturally appropriate, and tailored to the specific needs of the community. It also empowers young girls by giving them the skills and knowledge they need to be agents of change in their communities.

Another innovative aspect of our solution is the use of technology to address SRHR challenges. The hackathons provide a platform for young girls to develop tech-based solutions to SRHR challenges, such as mobile apps, websites, and other digital tools. These tech-based solutions have the potential to reach a wider audience and provide more accessible and user-friendly ways for young girls to access SRHR information and services.

The SRHR Hackathons also create a supportive community of young innovators who can share knowledge, resources, and support each other in their efforts to address SRHR challenges. This community-based approach is innovative because it leverages the collective power of young girls to drive positive change in their communities.

In terms of broader positive impacts, our solution has the potential to catalyze change in the SRHR space by providing a model for how technology and community engagement can be combined to address complex social challenges. It also has the potential to change the market by creating demand for tech-based SRHR solutions and services that are designed by and for young girls.

In the next year, our impact goals for SRHR Hackathons are:

1. To reach and empower at least 500 young girls in Tanzania through our hackathons, providing them with the skills and knowledge to address SRHR challenges in their communities.

2. To develop and implement at least 10 innovative SRHR solutions created by young girls during the hackathons, and pilot them in the communities.

3. To establish partnerships with at least 5 local organizations and government bodies working on SRHR to amplify the impact of our solution.

To achieve these goals, we will expand our hackathon program to reach more communities in Tanzania, and we will work closely with our partners to ensure that the solutions developed during the hackathons are effectively implemented and scaled up. We will also conduct regular monitoring and evaluation to assess the impact of our solution and make necessary improvements.

In the next five years, our impact goals for SRHR Hackathons are:

1. To expand our hackathon program to reach at least 5,000 young girls across Tanzania and other East African countries, empowering them to address SRHR challenges in their communities.

2. To develop and implement at least 100 innovative SRHR solutions created by young girls during the hackathons, and scale them up to reach more communities.

3. To establish a strong network of partners, including local organizations, government bodies, and international agencies, to amplify the impact of our solution and ensure its sustainability.

To achieve these goals, we will continue to expand our hackathon program and build strong partnerships with key stakeholders. We will also invest in the development of our team and the infrastructure needed to support the growth of our solution. Additionally, we will leverage the lessons learned from our pilot program to improve and refine our solution to ensure it is effective and sustainable.

Our impact goals for SRHR Hackathons are centered on empowering young girls to be agents of change in their communities and improving access to SRHR information and services. By achieving these goals, we aim to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Theory of Change for SRHR Hackathons

1. Activities:

• Hosting SRHR Hackathons in different regions of Tanzania.
• Training sessions and workshops for young girls on SRHR challenges and innovative solutions.
• Collaborative sessions for ideation and prototype development.
• Partnering with local organizations and institutions to support the implementation of the developed solutions.

2. Immediate Outputs:

• Increased knowledge and awareness of SRHR issues among participating young girls.
• Creation of innovative SRHR solutions tailored to specific community challenges.
• Strengthened networks and partnerships with organizations and stakeholders in the SRHR domain.

3. Intermediate Outcomes:

• Young girls become SRHR champions in their communities, spreading awareness and advocating for change.
• Successful piloting and implementation of SRHR innovations in local communities.
• Local organizations and institutions actively supporting and scaling the SRHR solutions, integrating them into their programs.

4. Long-term Outcomes:

• Enhanced access to SRHR information, commodities, and services for young girls and their communities.
• Improved SRH outcomes for young people, including a reduction in SRHR-related challenges and increased utilization of SRHR services.
• A sustainable model for youth-led innovation in the SRHR domain, potentially replicable in other regions and countries.

Evidence to Support the Links:

• Research: Studies have consistently shown that when young girls are empowered and informed about their sexual and reproductive health rights, they make healthier choices, resulting in better SRH outcomes.

• Findings from Previous Hackathons: From our past four hackathons, about 25 young girls were able to develop and showcase their SRHR-related ideas, demonstrating the effectiveness of the hackathon model in fostering innovation. Feedback from participants highlighted the transformative nature of the experience, not only in terms of skill acquisition but also in shaping their perception of SRHR.

• Data from Interviews: Conversations with our target population underline a substantial gap in SRHR awareness and information accessibility. The demand for localized, innovative solutions is palpable, confirming the potential impact of our initiative.

Our theory of change is rooted in the belief that empowering young girls to address SRHR challenges through innovation can lead to sustainable, community-driven solutions. By blending the dynamism of youth with the pressing needs of SRHR, we aim to catalyze change that resonates at both grassroots and policy levels. The feedback from our previous hackathons, coupled with third-party research on SRHR, provides a robust foundation to anticipate a tangible, positive impact on SRHR outcomes.

On our solution team, we have:

Full-time staff: 4
Part-time staff: 1
Contractors or other workers: 1
These team members work cohesively to ensure the success of our SRHR Hackathons, contributing to various aspects such as planning, coordination, logistics, training, and monitoring and evaluation.

Our solution, the SRHR Hackathons, was initiated in May 2023. Since then, we have been continuously working to improve and expand the initiative to reach more young girls in our community and beyond. Our team has been actively involved in planning and executing hackathons, as well as supporting the girls in developing their innovative solutions for SRHR challenges.

Our approach to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work is multifaceted.

Diversity: Our leadership team is composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds in terms of gender, ethnicity, and professional expertise. This diversity brings a range of perspectives that enrich our approach to solving SRHR challenges. We strive to further enhance the diversity of our team and the participants in our hackathons, to ensure that we are representative of the communities we serve.

Equity: We recognize that there are systemic barriers that can prevent young girls, particularly those from marginalized communities, from participating in initiatives like ours. We are committed to identifying and eliminating these barriers to create an equitable environment where all girls have the opportunity to participate and benefit from our hackathons. This includes providing scholarships or financial support for girls who may not otherwise be able to participate, as well as creating accessible materials and resources.

Inclusivity: Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where all participants feel welcomed, valued, and supported. We are actively working to foster a culture of inclusivity in our hackathons, where girls from all backgrounds feel comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences. We also strive to be inclusive in our approach to solving SRHR challenges, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and that the needs and experiences of girls can vary greatly depending on their individual circumstances.

Our business model is centered around organizing and hosting hackathons to empower young girls to develop innovative solutions to SRHR challenges in their communities.

1. Key Customers and Beneficiaries:

   • Young girls aged 15-24 in communities where SRHR challenges are prevalent.
   • NGOs and other organizations focused on SRHR.

2. Products or Services:

   • Hosting hackathons: We organize hackathons where young girls can develop solutions to SRHR challenges.
   • Training and mentorship: We provide training and mentorship to help girls develop their ideas into viable solutions.
   • Networking opportunities: We connect young girls with NGOs and other organizations that can support the implementation of their solutions.

3. Delivery of Products or Services:

   • Hackathons are hosted in community centers and schools, with the option for virtual participation.
   • Training and mentorship are provided by experienced professionals in the field of SRHR.
   • Networking opportunities are facilitated through events and online platforms.

4. Value Proposition:

   • For young girls: We provide the opportunity for them to develop their skills, gain confidence, and make a positive impact on their communities.
   • For NGOs and other organizations: We offer a source of innovative solutions to SRHR challenges, developed by the communities they are working to serve.

5. Revenue Streams:

   • Grants and donations from NGOs, governments, and other organizations focused on SRHR.
   • Participation fees for hackathons (waived for those who cannot afford it).
   • Potential future revenue from licensing or selling solutions developed during the hackathons.

Our business model is designed to empower young girls to develop innovative solutions to SRHR challenges, while also providing value to NGOs and other organizations focused on SRHR. We generate revenue through grants, donations, and participation fees, which are used to fund the hackathons and support the development and implementation of the solutions.

Our plan for achieving financial sustainability includes a mix of sustained donations and grants, participation fees, and potential licensing or selling of developed solutions.

1. Sustained Donations and Grants:

   • We will continue to seek funding from NGOs, governments, and other organizations focused on SRHR.
   • We aim to build long-term relationships with these donors and grant providers by demonstrating the impact of our work.

2. Participation Fees:

   • We will charge a participation fee for the hackathons, with an option for waiver for those who cannot afford it. This will provide a steady source of revenue while ensuring that the program remains accessible to all.

3. Licensing or Selling of Solutions:

   • We will explore opportunities to license or sell the solutions developed during the hackathons. This could include partnering with NGOs or other organizations that can implement the solutions in communities where they are needed.

4. Cost Management:

   • We will closely monitor and manage our expenses to ensure that our revenue streams are able to cover our expected costs.

5. Building Partnerships:

   • We will build partnerships with organizations that share our mission and values. These partnerships can provide additional funding opportunities and support for our programs.

6. Diversification of Revenue Streams:

   • We will diversify our revenue streams to ensure that we are not reliant on a single source of funding. This could include exploring new funding opportunities and developing additional programs or services that align with our mission.