Solve at MIT 2022, the flagship event of MIT Solve, recently convened over 300 social impact leaders including 62 Solver teams as well as thousands of virtual supporters. The May 5-7 event featured plenaries where leaders from various sectors discussed the state of global issues and how technology can contribute to making us more resilient. Throughout the three days, Solver teams, members, and supporters joined over a dozen working sessions to discuss the progress and obstacles they were experiencing, and brainstorm how to scale their impact. Below are a few of the many notable takeaways from Solve at MIT 2022.
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Pakistan start-up looks to break taboos around menstruation
Many women in the country remain uninformed about periods, but a social media-based project is targeting the problem.
Saba Khalid has set herself the goal of breaking some of Islamic Pakistan’s long-held taboos with the help of the internet, smartphones and WhatsApp. “Technology offers a sense of comfort,” she says of the work of Aurat Raaj, her Pakistani social enterprise. It educates women and adolescent girls about menstruation by means of audio messages sent via the WhatsApp social media platform.
Aurat Raaj, whose donors include the UN Children’s Fund, UN Women, the BMW Foundation and the Vodafone Americas Foundation, is not alone in its push to disseminate information about sexuality in conservative Pakistan.
Vodafone Americas Foundation to Award $50,000 to COVID-19 Business Pivots through the OpenIDEO COVID-19 Business Pivot Challenge Partnership
The global pandemic has changed everything. And while the full impact remains untold, one thing’s for sure, we need new ways to meet new challenges. That’s the spirit of The COVID-19 Business Pivot Challenge, launched last week by OpenIDEO in partnership with the Vodafone Americas Foundation.
The goal of the initiative is to help businesses discover how they can support the world’s immediate needs during the COVID-19 response. I’m positive that there are creative, imaginative and inspirational solutions that can help shape a more just and resilient future – that is the ultimate vision.
As part of this Challenge, the Vodafone Americas Foundation will award a total of $50,000 in funding to five selected submissions ($10,000 each) related to the use of IoT, AI, and/or mobile technology. More
The State of Online Harassment: Where Do We Go From Here?
As more people access online technology, issues such as online harassment continue to grow and evolve. In fact, more than 85 million Americans have experienced online harassment, with women often being disproportionately targeted. This leads to 25% of users to completely abandon their online presence. Not only that, but online harassment can actually make its way offline with real-life consequences. These individuals harmed by online harassment often feel isolated and that they do not have the support and community they need to recover. Fortunately, people have begun to recognize the scope and impact of this problem.
Our New Mission to Empower Women and Girls Through Technology
Photo by Adam Schultz
For the last 10 years, the Vodafone Americas Foundation has been committed to fostering change in global and local communities through connected solutions. In doing so, we’ve seen the true impact of technology in tackling some of the world’s biggest issues. It’s with this knowledge that we’re embarking on a new journey to transform the Vodafone Americas Foundation to focus primarily on empowering women and girls through technology while also supporting our employees around the country to make an impact in their communities.
We believe that by investing in the combination of women and technology, we are investing in change and the ability to make a true social impact globally. With our legacy experience in making social impact through technology for good, we know that by using the right tools to amplify and broaden our reach, we can enrich lives beyond a single woman and girl. In addition, by supporting our employees to make an impact in their local communities, we can collectively make a difference around the globe.
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