Funded Innovations
FIT aims to support testing of a range of innovative solutions to development challenges, and provide organizations with the opportunity to learn and grow as innovators. The selected solutions seek to advance gender equality and empower women and girls, by addressing challenges related to health, education, safety and technology. Learn more about the funded solutions here, and look for stories and lessons learned from the testing process on individual Innovators.
Project : A Platform Against Violence on Women Journalists in Sudan
Canadian SMO : Alternatives
Local Partner(s) : Al Alalag
Theme : Gender Equality
Region : Africa
Alternatives developed and tested a new digital database as a way to improve the safety of women journalists and protect women’s rights in Sudan. By collecting secure data on violence…
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Project : Remote Ultrasound Capacity Building for Antenatal Access
Canadian SMO : Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief
Local Partner(s) : The Ethiopian Ministry of Health and CPAR Ethiopia
Theme : Health & Nutrition
Region : Africa
In partnership with the University of Saskatchewan, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) designed and tested a capacity building program that aimed to increase access to obstetrical…
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Project : Kieni Fighters Resource Centre for Women and Girls
Canadian SMO : KIDS Initiative
Local Partner(s) : Volunteer International Development Africa (VICDA)
Theme : Health & Nutrition
Region : Africa
KIDS Initiative tested a new holistic prevention program, the Kieni Fighter Resource Centre for Women and Girls, that addresses behavioural, biomedical, and structural risks of HIV/AIDS…
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Project : Midwifery Active Digitization Empowerment Initiative for Nigeria
Canadian SMO : Canadian Network for International Surgery
Local Partner(s) : The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children
Theme : Health & Nutrition
Region : Africa
The MADE Initiative, a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial, was conducted at two Midwifery Schools in Benue State Nigeria in September and October of 2021. The purpose of a…
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Project : Inclusive E-Learning for Ugandan Youth
Canadian SMO : Embrace International Foundation
Local Partner(s) : Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC)
Theme : Education
Region : Africa
Embrace International Foundation is testing a new approach to self-directed e-learning through the use of Mobile Learning Labs, which consist of a portable plug-and-play server RACHEL (Remote…
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Project : Increasing Poultry Production in Zambia
Canadian SMO : OVO Solar Technologies Inc.
Local Partner(s) : VITALITE
Theme : Agriculture
Region : Africa
OVO tested the distribution of solar chicken egg incubators with related training as a means to help farmers in Zambia raise more chickens, diversify their incomes and improve their overall…
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Project : Preventing Cervical Cancer in India through Self-sampling (PCCIS)
Canadian SMO : Ryerson University
Local Partner(s) : Tata Memorial Hospital
Theme : Health & Nutrition
Region : Asia
Ryerson tested the introduction of a self-sampling method, supported by a sexual health literacy intervention, to increase screening for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer among…
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Project : Girls Groundswell
Canadian SMO : Canada SOS: Students Offering Support
Local Partner(s) : Semilla de Innovación para Desarrollo Sostenible (SIDS)
Theme : Education
Region : Latin America
Canada SOS tested an innovative approach to improving educational performance and retention among rural Mayan youth, especially girls, in Guatemala, using student-driven “learning…
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Project : Technology and Training for Quality and Equality
Canadian SMO : Change for Children Association
Local Partner(s) : SIMAS: Servicio de Informacion Mesoamericano sobre Agricultura Sostenible
Theme : Education
Region : Latin America
Change for Children tested a new training program and digital resource database for teachers in remote Indigenous communities of Nicaragua. The offline, technology-enabled, linguistically and…
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Project : Women’s Empowerment via Menstrual Hygiene and Livelihood Integration
Canadian SMO : Women's Global Health Innovations
Local Partner(s) : Public Health Ambassadors Uganda (PHAU) and WoMena
Theme : Livelihoods
Region : Africa
Women’s Global Health Innovations, in partnership with Village Health Teams (VHTs) tested an innovative menstrual health solution where VHTs from 5 Villages were trained to promote and…
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Project : It Takes a Village to Heal
Canadian SMO : Make Music Matter
Local Partner(s) : Panzi Hospital and Foundations
Theme : Gender Equality
Region : Africa
Make Music Matter, in partnership with the Panzi Hospital and Foundation tested the expansion of their innovative ‘Healing in Harmony’ music therapy program, which historically…
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Project : Eradicating Child Marriage in Sierra Leone
Canadian SMO : CAUSE Canada
Local Partner(s) : CAUSE Canada Sierra Leone Partnership
Theme : Gender Equality
Region : Africa
CAUSE Canada tested an innovative approach to eradicate child marriage by educating men seeking child brides about the negative consequences of child marriage for them, their families and…
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Project : Writing a Path out of Poverty: Testing a Cash Calculator with Extremely Poor Women in Northern Kenya
Canadian SMO : My Oral Village
Local Partner(s) : The BOMA Project
Theme : Livelihoods
Region : Africa
My Oral Village conducted a field-test in Kenya of ‘4-Share,’ a cash calculator for Android smartphones and tablets. 4-Share translates cash into place value notation, and provides…
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Project : Farmer-led Tools, Dashboard Development, and the Future of Farming
Canadian SMO : Coady International Institute
Local Partner(s) : Self Employed Women's Association and ICRAF (World Agroforestry Centre)
Theme : Agriculture
Region : Africa, Asia
Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University is testing tools with women farmers to identify capacity building needs, such as accessing new technologies, credit,…
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Project : Women’s Empowerment, Agricultural Innovation, and Climate Change Adaptation
Canadian SMO : Lestari Sustainable Development Consultants
Local Partner(s) : Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute
Theme : Change & Environment
Region : Asia
Lestari Sustainable Development Consultants tested the women-focused dissemination of newly developed drought-tolerant coffee varieties that increase climatic resilience. The dissemination…
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