Social Impact: Tammy Darcy, The Shona Project, Waterford
The Shona Project is a multi-award-winning social enterprise that aims to educate, empower and inspire the girls of today to become tomorrow’s strong confident and curious young women. Founded in 2016, by Tammy Darcy, The Shona Project provides Ireland's teen girls with information, advice and a safe place to share their stories, through school workshops, events, and a thriving online community. During the past 20 months of the pandemic, The Shona Project reached over 40,000 girls across Ireland. The organisation is a tribute to Tammy’s sister Shona, who was diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformations which caused a serious brain injury at 15.
“The Shona Project is scaling very quickly in terms of impact, and to sustain that impact, we need to think, act and operate like any other company with national and international reach. The support gained through this programme is hugely important to the Shona Project, but also to me personally, as I need the support of other likeminded women in order to keep pushing for growth. Our work is important, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”