HER Global Zine Project

** All donations are tax deductible through our fiscal sponsorship with Global Girl Project 

What is the HER Global Zine Project?

The HER Global Zine Project and HER Scholarship Fund invests in girls in developing countries as future women entrepreneurs.

Over 10 days, we facilitate discussions, workshops and creative exercises with the young women to expand their imagination to solve problems in their communities. These solutions are showcased in a zine.

This year, in partnership with Global Girl Project, we're taking the program to the next level and are committed to investing in the entrepreneurial endeavors of these young women. Post-program, each girl will receive a $100 project grant to get her program off the ground. After implementation, she will receive a $250 education stipend.

When & Where is the 2018 HER Global Zine Project?

This August, we’re partnering with Global Girl Project, to bring the HER Zine program to Nepal as part of their 4th annual International Leadership Exchange. 8 girls, between the ages of 15-18, from Haiti, Sierra Leone and Nepal, will become Leadership Exchange Scholars, incubating and developing a program to positively impact their communities back home.

• DATES: 8.7.18 - 8.17.18

• LOCATION: Nepal

• NGO PARTNER: Global Girl Project mobilizes young women around the world for global change

• PARTICIPANTS: 8 Leadership Exchange Scholars, 15-18 year old girls from Haiti, Sierra Leone, Kathmandu and a remote mountain village in Nepal

Who We Are

Based in NYC, we are UME, a women-centered design practice, and Armando Rafael Photography - a creative collective on a mission to elevate women leaders. This starts with amplifying girls’ voices, especially the voices of girls in developing countries. Every year, we partner with a girls' education NGO in a developing country to volunteer our time and services to cultivate leadership skills and mindset shifts that expand the girls' perspective to see and believe in their power to create change.

Why We Do It

We believe that leadership skills help girls in developing countries thrive, not just survive. 

In designing this project, we realized two things: 

1. Great leadership requires imagination

2. There needs to be more support to nurture the imagination of girls in developing countries. 

As a creative team, we began to consider imagination as the tool to cultivate leadership. Imagination is the ability of the mind to be creative and resourceful. Imagination is essential because it allows us to manifest our dreams. And like everything else, it needs to be nurtured and practiced. No one is better suited than these girls to understand their communities and create change. 

Our Team

Jee Chang, Chief Creative Officer, UME

What is community? We don't live in isolation. We influence and affect those around us. For me, community is more than your neighbors, your family and the organizations we belong to. It's what gives us meaning and purpose. I believe serving your community is what leads you to find your truth.  

Anna Kim, Chief Creative Strategist, UME

What holds community together? Curiosity, compassion and a shared purpose. Curiosity brings us together. Compassion helps us see the interconnectedness between ourselves and others. Shared purpose motivates collective action. 

Miranda Sheh, Community Builder, UME

How do you build community? There isn't one best way. I used to think I had to be the loudest, most outgoing person in the room, but I've found its about understanding my own strengths in how I connect with others. I love discovering how others see the world differently than me. Building a community is about letting these differences come to life and to be a source of inspiration and learning between people. 

** Miranda works tirelessly to connect and engage the HER Zine communities post-trip. She currently leads a very active WhatsApp group of the Malawian and Cambodian girls. 

Armando Rafael, Founder, Armando Rafael Photography

What community has most impacted you? 

There isn't one community that's impacted me the most. Each community has a different impact. For me, its really about the culmination of like-minded, inspirational people - people who inspire you to be better, work together, help each other and love one another. These are the communities that impact me the most. 

Past Zines

The HER Global Zine Project has evolved each year. Here’s a look at our past programs:

HER Zine Issue 1: Malawian Girls on Entrepreneurship (2016)

This was the inaugural HER Global Zine Project. The focus of this zine was entrepreneurship - designed for the majority of young Malawian women who can't afford to attend university. 25 young women (17-22 years old) were pushed to think critically and creatively, incubating 4 businesses that solved problems that exist for them and other young women like them:

• CLACVO coaches young women to write successful cover letters and CVs to increase her professional opportunities.

• Cuties Mansion Company provides entrepreneurship training to empower girls to be women with vision.

• CREORAP announces job openings on the radio during popular programs so young women in the remote villages have access to job opportunities.

• Future Of Hope Bakery teaches baking skills to young women while providing support and entrepreneurship training for gender violence victims.

HER Zine Issue 2: Cambodian Girls Take Action (2017)

These 23 young women (19-21 years old) fought to be the first in their villages to go to university. Over 5 days, they ideated four university clubs that inspire mindset shifts, build confidence and help them achieve their dreams.

• Monoia is an English movie club that inspires change in girls’ minds, hearts and ways of life for a colorful future.

• Navega is an organic community garden that strives to bring happiness to the world through healthy food.

• Talk With Me is a culture club that creates a fun, safe space for students to practice English and build the confidence to achieve their dreams.

• G.O.L.D. (Go On With Learning Development) is a group of higher education advocates who work to transform the mindset that girls don't need to go to school. They mentor and inspire young women in rural villages to finish their secondary education, go to university and be successful.

2018 Budget Breakdown

The cost of the 10-day program facilitated by our 4-person team and the post-program project grant investment totals $10,000.

Post-program Project Grants: $900

Transportation: $6800

Food: $400

Basic Accommodations: $300 

iFundWomen processing fees + CC processing fees: $734

If we are so fortunate to exceed the $10,000 goal, all funds will go towards the project grants.

Thank you for your support!