I was at the event alongside two UN WE Empower finalists - one bringing back indigenous food to Hawaii and the other rescuing unwanted food in Pittsburgh. Leah Lizarondo, who was both a 2019 Finalist and Awardee for the UN WE Empower competition and she co-founded the organisation 412 Food Rescue, a technology driven food recovery solution that bridges the disconnect between the 40% of food that goes to waste and the 1 in 7 people experiencing food insecurity in the United States. Their mobile app, Food Rescue Hero, directs a network of over 12,000 volunteers to transport surplus food to a network of over 600 nonprofits – ensuring perfectly good food feeds people not landfills.Brynn Foster was also a 2019 UN WE Empower finalist and she is the founder of Voyaging Foods, a company bringing back traditional Hawaiian food. She founded a company that makes gluten-free baked goods and dry mixes from Hawaiian-grown heritage canoe plants such as Kalo (Taro), 'Uala (Sweet Potato) and 'Ulu (Breadfruit).Also on the panel was Cheryse Sana, Farm Manager of MA'O Organic farms - a place that grows both organic food and children with a number of school integrated work programs.ekko.world is a dissemination partner with the WE Empower UN SDG Challenge, something we do for simple and powerful reasons. IT IS MOSTLY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE FRONT AND CENTRE IN DEVELOPING NEW WAYS TO FEED A BURGEONING PLANET, BUILDING A KINDER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD AND FIXING BOTH THE BROKEN PIECES OF OUR WORLD AND REGENERATING NEW CORNERS. AND THAT'S BEFORE WE BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND IT'S ROLE IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE PLANET.The UN WE Empower Challenge is sector agnostic and because of that, the range of solutions showcased and assisted by the challenge reflects the broad societal issues. WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is a global business competition and each year 25 finalists are chosen from a widening field of amazing female social entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to act to create the world we want by 2030. The challenge recognizes the business' innovative work and provides capacity-building training sessions and high-level advocacy opportunities to the awardees. It also highlights the valuable contribution women entrepreneurs can make toward the UN SDGs. The WE Empower Challenges Awardees convene in New York City during the week of the UN General Assembly in September and the awardees attend high-level events, such as the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit and the TED/Skoll/UNF We the Future Summit. Awardees also participate in a dynamic pitch competition, hosted by fashion designer, activist and Vital Voices Board Member Diane von Furstenberg, to present their business for the opportunity to receive a further $20,000 grant.
ASU GIOS and their partners are responsible for the global they are hoping to see more Australian women entrepreneurs in the challenge. WE Empower UN Challenge and you can get more information on the ASU website. This year, The 2020 Awards will be opening in March. You can also watch this space as we will announce once it's opened.
The Ka Waiwai space is a shared space designed to intersect community, culture and commerce in the centre of Honolulu and their deep commitment to bringing community to a sustainable space means it is set to become a new model for drop in / shared work.