Inspiring Women: Celebrating Trailblazers

11. Aishwarya Rai: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Aishwarya Rai, has been actively involved in supporting women's entrepreneurship projects, focusing on the implementation of a project backed by the German Embassy in Delhi and the NCR region. She holds a Master's degree in Social Work with a specialization in Criminology and Justice from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and a Bachelor's in Social Work from the University of Delhi. As a social work trainee, Aishwarya contributed to the implementation of various initiatives in education, urban policy management, health support, youth skilling, and gender-related issues. Her primary areas of interest include addressing gender inequalities and tackling climate change, with a strong commitment to promoting social justice and empowering women. Sankalp, named after the Hindi word for ""resolution,"" is dedicated to empowering marginalized women in small businesses. Through over 100 hours of entrepreneurship skills training, mentorship from industry experts, access to credit support, and connections with a robust alumni network, our program provides women with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive. We also assist in establishing market linkages, helping them scale their businesses and overcome the unique challenges they face. Our mission is to close the gender gaps in business and create a sustainable, inclusive environment for women entrepreneurs. Breaking Barriers for Women's Economic Empowerment Women worldwide face significant barriers—gender disparities, lower labor market participation, and higher unemployment rates—that hinder their economic growth. In India, women-owned businesses represent only 14% of enterprises, with many operating in the informal sector. Sankalp addresses these challenges by offering essential training, financial support, and access to key networks, promoting not just economic empowerment but also social upliftment. By supporting women entrepreneurs, we help foster gender equality and contribute to broader economic growth. "We believe that when women thrive, economies grow." – UN Women Stories about the women Rai's group has empowered - "Karishma's Triumph: Breaking Stereotypes and Redefining Boundaries" https://youtu.be/urz02Z_6IZQ?si=rK0HobVpL7D3Fo5E [https://youtu.be/urz02Z_6IZQ?si=rK0HobVpL7D3Fo5E] "Vasheela's Journey: Transcending Social Constructs and Redefining Identity" https://youtu.be/cawU7syYpFc?si=YOyZgKL36wRMLOnx [https://youtu.be/cawU7syYpFc?si=YOyZgKL36wRMLOnx] To learn more, go to: send an email to: info@empowerfoundation.net To learn more about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley, go to: http://rotary.cool [http://rotary.cool]

10. Jody Lewen: President of Mt. Tamalpais College at San Quentin Prison

Jody Lewen is President of Mount Tamalpais College at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, California. Mount Tamalpais College is an independent liberal arts college located in San Quentin State Prison. Corey McNeil has been a student since 2011 and joined the staff of Mount Tamalpais College as a program clerk in 2017. After being released in 2021, he became the college's Alumni Affairs Associate. Mount Tamalpais College (MTC) provides a general education associate of arts degree and intensive college preparatory courses to over 300 people incarcerated at San Quentin. It also provides training and support to other higher education in prison programs across the country, advocating for the values of high academic quality and inclusivity, while serving as a resource to policymakers, practitioners, and academic and correctional administrators. Dr. Lewen received her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in modern European history; her master's degree from the Freie Universität, Berlin in comparative literature and philosophy; and her PhD in rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley. She was the recipient in 2006 of the Peter E. Haas Public Service Award from the University of California, Berkeley, which recognizes alumni of UC Berkeley who have made significant voluntary contributions to the betterment of society. In 2016, MTC (then the Prison University Project) received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. In 2018, Jody was named a Frederick Douglass 200 awardee, which honored those whose modern-day work best embodies Douglass' legacy of social change. To learn more, go to: https://www.mttamcollege.edu [https://www.mttamcollege.edu] https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2022/08/08/nations-first-standalone-prison-campus-celebrates-graduation/ [https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2022/08/08/nations-first-standalone-prison-campus-celebrates-graduation/]

9. Liz Lefkofsky: Giving and Believing in Teens... The VING Project

Liz Lefkofsky is a social philanthropist committed to championing initiatives that enhance the quality of human life. She has dedicated her professional career to various philanthropic initiatives, starting as a young child helping stuff envelopes in support of the American Brain Tumor Association, which her mother founded. From there, Liz served in numerous non-profit roles at Gallery 37, now known as After School Matters, and the Printers Row Book Fair. In 2006, Liz and her husband Eric established the Lefkofsky Family Foundation where she serves as president, advancing high-impact programs, initiatives, and research in the areas of education, women’s health, medical research and the arts. Liz spearheaded a unique partnership between Chicago Public Schools and the University of Chicago to create a performance-enhancing curriculum called Success Bound that aims to redesign the middle school experience to give all middle school students preparation for high school and beyond. She also founded the VING Project, an initiative that empowers teens to support people in their communities that could use a financial boost. The VING project is a national movement sparking the next generation of givers. Through VING, teens have an opportunity to give an individual in need an encouraging boost by surprising them with $1,000. We started The VING Project to empower teens to make a difference in the lives of those around them. From the organization: "By providing [teens] with small grants to give to people in need, we hope to provide an opportunity for them to experience the joys of giving – that feeling you get when you take the time to care about someone else who may be vulnerable. We hope we are giving teens more than just a $1,000 check to donate to someone in need. Our desire is to bestow young people with the confidence to lead with generosity and compassion. We recognize that more important than monetary donations is the consideration of others and the community around you. Our family is constantly inspired by the thoughtfulness and kindness we see from the VING community. With teenagers of our own, we see the power and influence that young people hold today. We hope the VING Project is a vehicle that allows teens to continue their journey of making the world a kinder, better place." In 2013, Liz and her husband became signees of the Giving Pledge, deepening their commitment to philanthropic causes. She also serves as a board member for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Peer Health Exchange, and Ravinia. Liz is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison and currently lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three children. To learn more, go to: https://lefkofskyfoundation.com/ [https://lefkofskyfoundation.com/]

8. Eliminating Cervical Cancer

From prevention to treatment, there are many entry points to intervene ranging from preventive HPV vaccination, promotion of screening and follow-up, and social mobilization. This presentation will focus on why cervical cancer elimination is an achievable goal, and lessons learned from small actions that are leading to major impact. Our speaker, Dr Isabel C. Scarinci, is a professor and Vice-Chair for Global and Rural Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, Alabama. Professionally, she has dedicated her career to the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based programs in cervical cancer prevention and control among underserved populations. As a Rotarian, she has partnered with the Rotary Club of Colombo (Sri Lanka), and more recently with the Rotary Club of Guatemala-Sur, toward the elimination of cervical cancer in these countries. In 2023 Alabama became the first and only state in the U.S. to launch a statewide plan to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Birmingham and other organizations. In 2021, Dr Scarinci was chosen as one of the six champions of health worldwide by Rotary International for her work in cervical cancer. To learn more, go to: https://operationwipeout.org/ [https://operationwipeout.org/]

7. Indigenous Midwives Save Lives in Guatemala Using an Emory Univ. App

⁠Video showing our maternal-infant health app in action: https://vimeo.com/824788956⁠ [https://wuqukawoq.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Instagram-video.mp4] In the mountains of Guatemala, many indigenous women prefer to give birth at home with a midwife who speaks their language and understands them. Yet, sometimes, high risk complications occur. How can we lower maternal mortality that is 16 times higher than the United States when women live hours from the hospital and do not speak the language of the doctors? Wuqu’ Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance [https://www.mayahealth.org] is eliminating avoidable maternal and neonatal deaths by repairing the disconnects that prevent mothers from receiving timely hospital care. The Mobile Maternal Health Program equips indigenous midwives in the highlands of Guatemala with a checklist-based smartphone application to detect high-risk complications early and provides Maya care navigators to accompany mothers when hospital services are required. Midwives get the tools and clinical support they need to make timely referrals and mothers benefit from the security of having a knowledgeable advocate who speaks her language by her side. This solution, from the phone app to the navigation strategies, was co-designed and continues to be run by the communities it serves: indigenous Guatemalan women. Since the Program began as a pilot in 2016, successful hospital referrals among the approximately 800 births attended annually by participating midwives have increased by more than 50% and maternal deaths in the pilot region have dropped from 8 a year to 0-2 a year. Wuqu' Kawoq is a community-led organization created in 2007 to transform healthcare and foster health equity in rural Guatemala. As one of the only organizations in Guatemala providing comprehensive healthcare in indigenous Mayan languages, it serves more than 11,000 patients in over 35,000 visits annually in seven languages. More than 80% of the staff is indigenous, 85% are women and 95% are Guatemalan. Our speaker, Anne Kraemer, is an anthropologist and a co-founder of Maya Health Alliance [https://www.mayahealth.org] | Wuqu’ Kawoq, an organization created in 2007 to transform health in rural Guatemala. She has served as Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer since 2009. Her passion is amplifying the voices of women and girls to foster community-driven, high-impact, culturally and linguistically appropriate programs that promote health and reproductive rights in underserved indigenous Maya communities. Anne trained as a cultural anthropologist at the University of Kansas, where she received her master’s degree and completed doctoral coursework. She received a Fulbright scholarship in 2007. Anne lives in Guatemala with her daughters. She speaks Kaqchikel and Spanish. To learn more: https://www.mayahealth.org [https://www.mayahealth.org] The research page: https://www.mayahealth.org/research/ [https://www.mayahealth.org/research/] Maternal-infant health page: https://www.mayahealth.org/maternal-health/ [ https://www.mayahealth.org/maternal-health/] Video showing our maternal-infant health app in action: https://vimeo.com/824788956 [https://wuqukawoq.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Instagram-video.mp4]