Imbuto Initiative

MATERNAL HEALTH CHALLENGE; Rwanda

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Misoprostol.

Learn more about the Maternal Health Challenge and how the distribution of Misoprostol, a $3 drug that can prevent maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage, could save thousands of lives.

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Imbuto Initiative prevents postpartum hemorrhage in underserved communities by enabling Community Health Workers to provide misoprostol for unavoidable home births while strengthening rapid emergency response, emergency referrals, and maternal savings.

IMBUTO Initiative will pilot its maternal health distribution model in Huye and Nyagatare districts in Rwanda, enrolling 250 high-risk pregnant women through trained Community Health Workers (CHWs). CHWs will provide maternal follow-up, rapid labor response, emergency referral coordination, maternal savings support, and restricted post-delivery administration of misoprostol for unavoidable home births to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. The model also uses a USSD-based alert system that allows mothers or family members to rapidly notify CHWs during labor or emergencies. What sets IMBUTO apart is its integrated community-based approach that combines postpartum hemorrhage prevention, emergency transport support, digital alerts, and maternal financial preparedness into one coordinated system for high-risk mothers.

IMBUTO Initiative was founded by Dr. Egide Ahishakiye, who serves as Executive Director and Pilot Lead. During early implementation, he will work closely with an implementation team including Dr. Aimable Munyeshyaka, Health Technology & Data Lead, who manages the USSD system development, data integrity, and district logistics support; and Dr. Marie Grace Niyonizeye, Community Engagement & Maternal Savings Circle (MSC) Coordinator, who leads community engagement, maternal health education, and management of Maternal Savings Circles and Emergency Birth Funds.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Directly enroll and support 250 high-risk pregnant women across Huye and Nyagatare through Community Health Workers (CHWs), Maternal Savings Circles, emergency transport support, and rapid labor response systems during the six-month pilot.

• Ensure that at least 90% of eligible unavoidable home births among enrolled mothers receive timely CHW-administered misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage prevention, while increasing timely referrals and facility-based deliveries through CHW-led maternal support systems.

• Secure at least $12,000 USD in additional funding or institutional partnership commitments within five months of launch to support continuation and scale of the IMBUTO maternal health model beyond the pilot phase.
  

FOUNDING TEAM

Ahishakiye Egide - Founder

Cancer MedLab

PATIENT IDENTIFICATION CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Cervical cancer screenings

Learn more about the Patient Identification Challenge and why identifying individuals in need of medical treatment and finding ways to make that treatment accessible reduces poverty.  

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Cancer MedLab’s mission is to make cervical cancer screening accessible, affordable, and ultimately, to save lives through early detection and intervention.

Cancer MedLab will improve cervical cancer screening among rural women aged 30-50 in Rwanda's Burera district. Their innovative distribution model focuses on rural areas and employs community health workers (CHWs) trained with a specialized toolkit and social marketing theory to raise awareness and mobilize women for screening.

This grassroots approach ensures accessibility and community engagement. Through collaboration with 18 local health centers to train 72 healthcare providers (nurses/ midwives), Cancer MedLab will conduct cervical cancer screenings using VIA, with positive cases recorded digitally for efficient tracking and referral for further follow-up.

Cancer MedLab is a new venture co-founded by Dr. Jean Paul Ndayizeye and Dr. Emmanuel Manirakiza. Dr. Jean Paul is the CEO and Dr. Emmanuel is the Clinical Mentor.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• 600 women will be screened for cervical cancer.

• 18 screening sessions will done in three months and facilitated by 144 trained healthcare providers (72 CHWs and 72 nurses/ midwives).

• Fundraise an additional $27,560 from new donors within 12 months.

FOUNDING TEAM

Dr. Jean Paul Ndayizeye - CEO

Dr. Emmanuel Manirakiza - Clinical Mentor

Awaken Her Initiative

PATIENT IDENTIFICATION CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Cervical cancer screenings

Learn more about the Patient Identification Challenge and why identifying individuals in need of medical treatment and finding ways to make that treatment accessible reduces poverty.  

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Through deliberate community awareness, the Awaken Her Initiative envisions a Rwanda in which no woman dies as a result of cervical cancer ignorance.

Their distribution approach is a women-to-women awareness method in which well-trained cervical cancer survivors and medical doctors will assist in raising awareness about the benefits of voluntary cervical cancer screening. The Awaken Her Initiative is a well-designed methodology for reinforcing Rwanda's efforts to eradicate cervical cancer.

Four Rwandan doctors — Drs. Clarisse Iradukunda, Yvette Nkurunziza, Kambali Philbert, and Rwamatwara Alype founded the Awaken Her Initiative.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Education of 4200 women about cervical cancer in three months.

• Cervical cancer screening of 400 women using VIA, and follow-up with 120 VIA-positive women to determine the best course of treatment in 3 months.

• Fundraise $10,000 from new donors within 3 months.

FOUNDING TEAM

Dr. Iradukunda Clarisse - Founder

Dr. Nkurunziza Yvette - Founder

Dr. Kambali Philbert - Founder

Dr. Rwamatwara Alype - Founder

SIRIUS Initiative

SAYANA PRESS CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Sayana Press injectable contraceptive.  

Learn more about the Sayana®  Press Challenge and why training health providers to administer Sayana® Press can be particularly valuable for women who prefer injectable contraceptives but don’t have regular access.

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

SIRIUS Initiative is a social enterprise which delivers a community where everyone has access to modern contraception and every pregnancy is wanted.

SIRIUS (The brightest star in earth’s night sky) Initiative is created purposefully to tackle family planning unmet needs using a Peer-to-peer private dispensing model. A network of private dispensers will distribute SAYANA Press from our accredited store to their peers on affordable price, at door-step and at work (e.g. for sex workers) in Gasabo district (in pilot) where unmet needs of contraception is high in Rwanda.

The organization is a tightly-knighted team of 3 social entrepreneurs with a solid background in medical field and strong interests in sexual and reproductive health’s public health aspect. Emile NGABO as a coordinator and legal representative, Monique NSHUTI as Operations officer and Gratien ABANJYENZABARINDA as an officer in charge of Quality assurance, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (QA & MEAL).

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Reach 150 women in Kigali City - Gasabo District

• Distribute 150 SAYANA Press Injections (Doses)

• Reach 20,000 people by distributing 80,000 interventions (injections) by the end of Year 2

FOUNDING TEAM

Emile Ngabo- Coordinator

Monique Nshuti - Operations Officer

Gratien Abanjyenzabarinda - Quality Assurance Officer

Soma Organization

TEACHING AT THE RIGHT LEVEL CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is an education program that tailors instruction to the learning level of the child, rather than their age. The result is that basic literacy and numeracy are achieved by students before they finish primary school.

Learn more about the Teaching at the Right Level Challenge and other D-Prize Distribution Challenges.

 

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Soma Organization meets struggling pupils at the level they are to help them get where they need to be.

The initiative will pilot the TaRL Model in Rwanda. The model will be centered on the pupils’ learning levels, and on the pupils, to encourage participation and responsiveness. Rather than a rigid linear curriculum, the content will be based on a pupil’s assessed learning level, and the delivery will be made fun and full of engaging activities. This will build confidence, ensure all-rounded growth and focus on foundational skills.

Soma Organization was founded by Kennedy Okello in 2021. The mission and vision of the intervention attracted like-minded individuals; Aline, Mike and Irene, forming a diverse and skilled team.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Onboard at least 15 facilitators

• Serve 250 grade 2 and 3 children

• Build a rigorous Program Design Team of at least 4 relevantly experienced and passionate staff

FOUNDING TEAM

Kennedy Okello - Program Designer

Aline Nishimwe - Project Coordinator

Irene Marra - Facilitation Lead

Soma Sawa

TEACHING AT THE RIGHT LEVEL CHALLENGE; KENYA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is an education program that tailors instruction to the learning level of the child, rather than their age. The result is that basic literacy and numeracy are achieved by students before they finish primary school.

Learn more about the Teaching at the Right Level Challenge and other D-Prize Distribution Challenges.

 

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Soma Sawa will aggressively intervene at the right time to close the gaps in education before students become unsuccessful. Using Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodology, the venture will target 3rd to 5th grade students who are left behind in their classrooms to quickly help them catch up in Literacy and Numeracy. Soma Sawa will leverage resources from University partners, community volunteers, education enthusiasts and parents to offer a robust but cost effective innovation to students.

Dorothy Dulo is the founder of Soma Sawa. The founding team members are Joyce Wambare, Brian Etole, Ann Mamboleo, and Linda Akoth.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Reach 400 students during the pilot period

• Raise $10,000 of funding during the pilot period

• Reach 15,000 students by the end of year 1

• Reach 50,000 students by the end of year 2

FOUNDING TEAM

Dorothy Dulo - Founder/Director

Leaf Global Fintech

CUSTOM CHALLENGE; RWANDA and DRC

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Improving access to financial services for refugees through mobile phones.

Learn more about the Custom Challenge and why we only fund ideas that focus on distributing proven poverty interventions.

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Leaf Global Fintech provides digital financial services to refugees so that they can store and transport assets across borders from a feature phone, avoiding cash.

Leaf stores and transports assets across borders from a mobile device—no smartphone required. Refugees and migrants can journey without cash, knowing accounts are safe and accessible globally. Digitizing the process drastically reduces exchange and transfer fees. Friends and family abroad can also contribute into the Leaf customer’s account in a convenient and affordable way. Leaf protects customers’ savings through blockchain technology without exposure to cryptocurrency. By allowing customers to retain more value and increasing accessible funds through contributions from abroad, Leaf gives customers a better start with financial security and lessens their dependence on host countries and foreign aid.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Serve 10,000 customers during the pilot period

FOUNDING TEAM

Nat Robinson - Co-Founder and CEO

Tori Samples - Co-Founder and CFO

Men's Behavior Change Toward VMMC

VMMC CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC).

Learn more about the VMMC Challenge and why scaling up voluntary medical male circumcision can substantially reduce the rate of HIV acquisition for men, and also reduce the risk of transmission of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) to the men’s partners.

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

In rural areas, many Rwandans don’t have access to Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision. Other barriers to the service are cultural norms and a lack of information about VMMC. What’s more, there are often insufficient medical clinics and trained health professionals available to perform the procedure.

The 3 month pilot will highlight the high risk of HIV transmission in uncircumcised men in remote areas of Rutsiro district through grassroots mobilization campaigns for VMMC awareness. Their team will collaborate with local health centers to provide VMMC services and improve access to the procedure in hard to reach areas. Through performances by local artists, the project team will conduct 20 mobilization campaigns (4 campaigns per sector, covering 5 rural sectors, reaching at least 8000 people) about VMMC for HIV prevention.

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Reach 800 men with the service during the pilot phase

• Reach 12,000 men with the service by the end of year 2

FOUNDING TEAM

Jean Pierre Imanishimwe - Founding Member

Fidele Murava - Founding Member

Janviere Mugoragoze - Founding Member

EarthEnable

CUSTOM CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

EarthEnable is helping masons install $30 earthen floors, a much healthier alternative to dirt floors and a much more affordable than concrete alternatives.

Learn more about the Custom Challenge and why we only fund ideas that focus on distributing proven poverty interventions.

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Vision to provide floors for at least 1 million individuals by the end of 2015

 

FOUNDING TEAM

Kumwe Logistics

CUSTOM CHALLENGE; RWANDA

PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTED

Technologies and services used for logistics services and freight. Kumwe will stimulate the transporter network by building a platform to easily connect the organizations and individuals in need of transport with transporters. 

Learn more about the Custom Challenge and why we only fund ideas that focus on distributing proven poverty interventions. 

DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION

Freight transportation costs 60% more than in developed countries, which has a crippling effect on economic development. Kumwe is lowering these costs by connecting shippers and truck owners via an online marketplace. By working with Kumwe, shippers gain access to a larger network of price-competitive transporters, and these transporters gain access to more jobs. Kumwe started operation in Rwanda in August 2016 with 23 completed transports in the first month, and is expanding its operations into Uganda in early 2017.

Kumwe will establish a mobile-based freight brokerage system, Kumwe. Instead of searching for trucks through countless channels, you send one request to a freight broker, either through an online portal or directly through a person. You specify the load details - time, pick-up, drop-off, size, cargo type, etc. - and immediately receive quotes from several carriers. You then select one carrier, considering both the price and past service levels which the broker carefully tracks. Any issues with the transporter are reported back to the broker. 

On the back end, the broker is primarily a digital platform. Drivers and their trucks are kept in a database; when a request for transport comes in, it is forwarded via mobile phone to carriers that meet the order needs. Drivers then use their mobile phones to bid on or ignore the request. Once you select a driver, the deal is confirmed and payment held by the broker. Upon completion of the job, drivers are rated by the customer based on metrics like on-time pickup, on-time delivery, cargo damage or shrinkage. After confirming there are no major issues, funds are released to the driver. 

 

PILOT AND SCALING GOALS

• Register 20 independent truck driers and freight companies

• Establish 1-2 main partners to build volume backbone 

• Offer free trial period to get sticky with user base 

• Register 100 drivers and freight companies by the end of year 1 

• 150+ transactions per day by year 2 

 

FOUNDING TEAM

Cyril Khamsi

Chris Creyts

Nora Weisskopf

Charles Dokmo

Emily Gooding