GW Students Looking to Empower Women through Sustainable Farming

September 3, 2024

Authored by:

Brook Endale

Three students in the Elliott School of International Affairs with a desire to make a positive difference in the world started a company that will help empower women in rural areas through an innovative, sustainable farming practice that utilizes insects.

Hannah Ettelstein, a George Washington University senior studying international affairs with a concentration in international development and the co-founder of ECOFEM, is passionate about uplifting women globally. So, when she first learned about black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) farming, she immediately wondered if it could be used to help struggling, female famers in rural areas.

BSFL is known for its ability to transform organic waste into a sustainable source of animal feed.

The process works when organic material is sent to a BSFL farming facility, saving more waste from entering a landfill. The organic material is put on trays with black soldier fly larvae that eat the material. At the end of the larval stage, what's left is a nutrient-dense byproduct that can be sold or recycled directly back into a farm operation as animal feed.

"I believed that this idea of waste management using black soldier fly larvae was an awesome idea. And could have a lot of great potential in developing nations," Ettelstein said.

Ettelstein shared her idea with her friend Katerina Henjes, an Elliott School senior year studying international affairs with a concentration in international development. Henjes, the co-founder of ECOFEM, loved the idea of connecting the innovative farming practice to help women gain financial security.

The two flushed out the idea of what is now ECOFEM, a company that will spread the knowledge of BSFL farming to rural female farming communities and offer BSFL farming vocational training and a micro-certification program.

"Through the educational opportunities that we offer, through the potential financial benefits that are reaped from participating in BSFL farming, we will be able to uplift women," Henjes said. "This program promotes sustainability, creates circular economies and uplifts marginalized communities in the process. And that has been the aspect that makes me passionate about what we do."

As they began growing the mission of ECOFEM, Ettelstien and Henjes decided they needed a third member to support the day-to-day operations and help make the idea a reality. After looking through multiple applicants, they decided on Zoe Leclezio, a junior studying international affairs with a concentration in the African region.

"The main reason I wanted to join ECOFEM is because it helps uplift women. And it uses the local perspectives to guide the way that we function," Leclezio said.

The students said a lot of what they learned in their classes at the Elliott School served as guiding principles as they developed their business model. They knew from their economic development courses that development programs aimed at women have a greater impact on expanding economic and educational opportunities for a community.

They learned about the importance of incorporating the local perspective and working within existing systems so participants of their program can partake in utilizing things they already own.

Leclezio, who is from Mauritius, an island nation in Africa, said she's familiar with some of the struggles women living in rural farming communities face. It's why she aligns so much with ECOFEM's mission.

"It means a lot to see a way that I could go back to Mauritius and help. Maybe a few years from now, ECOFEM could enter a community and benefit the general population. Because when women are uplifted, gender equality is righted and everybody benefits from it," Leclezio said.

ECOFEM is now in the early stages of implementing pilot programs in several countries around the world.

The three students said they are feeling grateful to their community at GW, which has been instrumental in helping make their ideas a reality.

Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School, endorsed Ettelstein to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings in the spring. That led to a meeting with Angela Pashayan, a professor at American University who runs YOD International, a nonprofit in Nairobi, Kenya. ECOFEM has since established a partnership with Pashayan's nonprofit to initiate a pilot project aimed at reducing organic waste in parts of Nairobi.

The students received another big opportunity once they entered the Hult Prize qualifier competition that was held on GW's campus in February. The Hult Prize is a global student pitch competition with a $1million prize. After winning the qualifier at GW, ECOFEM was invited to compete at the Northeast Regional Summit in Boston in the spring.

"Even though we didn't advance, it was such an important opportunity for us," Ettelstein said. "We got to pitch our idea in front of several investors, get feedback on our business model and connect with people. It has helped us accelerate our progress and I feel was our first step towards moving into implementation."

ECOFEM is currently considering five potential pilot programs to launch in Mexico, India, Colombia, Venezuela and Kenya.

They plan to start a pilot program in Kenya within the next year. ECOFEM has partnered with YOD International, a Kenyan nonprofit that has secured $1.6 million in funding.

YOD International has an urban farm run by women in Mukuru, a historically under-deprived region of Nairobi.

"We saw this as one of the best places for us to launch our program, to be able to test it in real-time," Henjes said. "There is a huge food waste issue there with a lot of the different restaurants in the area. We wanted to take some of that food waste and potentially generate something new and better with it."

To learn more about ECOFEM or if you are interested in joining its efforts, visit ecofem.us.