On Monday, Duke University and UNICEF announced that Lily Health, a digital health startup providing over 120,000 women in Kenya with their personal health advisor through WhatsApp and Messenger, has earned a place in the Duke-UNICEF Innovation Accelerator. The accelerator program, dedicated to supporting social enterprises addressing critical challenges for children and youth globally, welcomed Lily Health for its innovative contributions.
Lily Health is set to join five other social enterprises in the Innovation Accelerator program, collaborating to develop and scale innovations dedicated to addressing menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) in East Africa and beyond.
We are thrilled to be part of the Duke Unicef Innovation Accelerator. We see it both as a confirmation of our hard work thus far and an opportunity to leverage world class expertise to scale Lily to millions of women,
said MacGregor, Co-Founder of Lily Health.
As a nominee, UNICEF will invest $50-250K (Sh25 million) in expert resources for the Lily Health app. The two-year program offered by the Innovation Accelerator will provide entrepreneurs with access to various resources, including UNICEF subject matter experts, mentorship opportunities, Duke University faculty and students, monthly capacity-building webinars, and a week-long residency at the Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative (I&E).
On April 3rd of this year, Duke University will host a global conference, bringing together social entrepreneurs, academics, philanthropists, business leaders, activists, and students. The summit will feature discussions with entrepreneurs from the Duke-UNICEF Innovation Accelerator, engaging in conversations with experts and practitioners at the forefront of social innovation and international development.
Duke has a long history of educating and supporting social entrepreneurs, and we are proud to partner with UNICEF to maximize the impact of these important social enterprises.
said Jon Fjeld, director of Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative (I&E).
“We look forward to hosting this extraordinary group of entrepreneurs on the Duke campus for an intensive residency where we will connect them into expertise, resources, and mentorship across the Duke innovation system,” said Jon Fjeld, director of Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative (I&E). “Duke has a long history of educating and supporting social entrepreneurs, and we are proud to partner with UNICEF to maximize the impact of these important social enterprises.”
The innovators’ solutions, spanning digital apps, reusable and disposable pads, and community health models, all aim to enhance menstrual health, hygiene, and management while addressing prevalent cultural taboos and educational barriers associated with menstruation.
As adolescent girls navigate puberty and menstruation, they often encounter challenges at school and home, resulting in stress, shame, embarrassment, confusion, and fear. These challenges encompass a lack of knowledge about menstruation, limited access to menstrual hygiene materials, and inadequate WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities for discreetly managing menstrual needs.
By prioritizing local solutions and centering girls in the process, the Innovation Accelerator cohort collectively strives to deliver essential Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) solutions. In doing so, they aim to empower the next generation of women, ensuring they are healthy, happy, and educated.
