In September 2022, WAKE proudly reintroduced our international Tech2Empower programs after operating virtually during the pandemic. Kigali, Rwanda, with its vibrant community of social change-makers and our longstanding connections with local partners, was the ideal location for this relaunch. In Kigali, the WAKE team, along with an impressive delegation of 20 volunteer Advisors, worked hand-in-hand with women-led social enterprises uplifting gender equity and championing girls' education and leadership. One year has passed since this on-the-ground work began, and we’re pleased to highlight a team that has made great strides through its Tech2Empower collaboration. Rwanda Women’s Network, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering victims of Gender Based Violence created lasting impacts for their organization with the help of four volunteer Advisors from top tech companies. We’re excited to shed light on their inspiring partnership.
The Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN) has been a beacon of hope for the past 20 years. Together with their team of Tech2Empower Advisors, the RWN staff tackled a project to amplify the voices of the women of RWN and to make their stories resonate worldwide. The result was a completely transformed digital strategy and a streamlined organizational strategic plan which has brought in new donors and collaborators to help expand RWN’s impact and reach.
The team of Advisors - Adi Ziv-Av, Production and Brand Lead at Google, Josephine Courant, Creative Director at Springshot, Yesenia Bello, SVP of Diversity & Inclusion at iHeartMedia, and Alexandra Dumas, Head of VC and Startup Partnerships at Google - worked tirelessly with their partners at RWN - Sharron, Andrew, and Stella - to achieve the desired impact. Adi recalls the essence of their collaboration: laying the foundation of a consistent, overarching story for RWN.
“With the (RWN) team, we agreed they needed one narrative to be weaved across all of RWN’s projects. A story that could be true for now and their future mission. A story they could use internally and externally.”
Through meticulous listening and distilling, a potent narrative took shape: Heal-Empower-Transform-Sustain. This narrative concisely and accurately traced the journey of women working with RWN to transform their lives and set the groundwork for their futures. The team’s work did not end there. They moved on to translate this story visually by revamping their website, crafting templates for future storytelling, setting up email templates, and developing a new registration form.
Josephine, with her expertise in graphic design, played a pivotal role in RWN’s digital transformation. She lent her professional skills to updating the brand colors and iconography, designing illustrations that represented their core mission, and creating social media templates for future use in Canva. Josephine's efforts showcased the potential of technology as an empowerment tool, and the importance of a strong digital and aesthetic presence to garner attention and support for RWN’s mission.
Mary Balikungeri, the founder of RWN, sheds light on her experience working with the dedicated Advisors. The essence of their relationship is one of camaraderie and mutual support. "They helped us with our strategic plan. We had a skeleton of it, but they helped us to make it look simple, focused, and marketable," she said. This strategic clarity not only redefined RWN's direction but also became a beacon, attracting new donors and collaborators.
Sharon Bideri, Communications and Advocacy Officer at RWN during the Tech2Empower Impact Challenge highlighted this journey's impact:
"The Tech2Empower program has been one of the best opportunities for our organization to learn and make progress towards increasing our digital reach. We couldn't have done this without the support of WAKE and the Advisors we were paired with.”
Tech2Empower Rwanda emphasized the power of cross-cultural community-building. Working with their Rwandan partners transformed the perspectives of both Adi and Josephine. When reflecting on all she gained through this collaborative effort, Adi remarks, “I learned about purpose, I learned how women have the ability to do anything and everything with sheer will power. I got inspired by Mary, her ambitious goals and unwavering determination to change the face of society in Rwanda. I learned how, even though we are on the other side of the world and across time zones, we can still form a strong connection and come together to support each other.”
Josephine similarly expressed her admiration for Mary and her commitment to Rwandan women's welfare, particularly those affected by gender-based violence.
“I learnt the true meaning of resilience and bringing people together to help a community and solve real, life-altering issues. To say it was a life changing experience doesn't really give it justice.”
Mary shares these positive sentiments, remarking “To be honest, with these young women (Advisors), the experience has been so wonderful. My only frustration is that I’ve been too busy to keep pulling them on board, but they’ve kept reminding me! And that's the beauty of these girls. We’ve become very, very connected with all of them, in terms of relationship.”
A year after meeting, the story of Rwanda Women's Network and their journey with Tech2Empower Rwanda is not just about technology or digital transformation. It's a testimony to human resilience, cross-cultural collaboration, and the indomitable spirit of women determined to create lasting change. As we celebrate the journey and its accomplishments, we are reminded of the power of unity, shared visions, and the importance of amplifying voices that matter.
