Economic Empowerment
Her Business Storytelling Competition
Local Women. Global Stories.
Global · Ongoing
A global storytelling initiative centred on women-owned local businesses. Through short videos and journalistic stories, young people explore the journeys, challenges, and community impact behind these businesses.
Her Business is Kandi's global storytelling competition where students aged 14-25 - working solo or in teams of up to three - partner with a locally owned, woman-founded business and tell its story, either as a 3-5 minute short video or a 500-1,200 word journalistic piece.
The brief pushes past the surface: what inspired the owner to start, what unique barriers she's faced as a woman running a business, and how her work has shaped the community around her. The goal is to surface stories that rarely make it into major media - the kind that reveal what women's economic opportunity actually looks like on the ground.
And it doesn't stop at storytelling. Winners receive publication, certificates, and a cash prize - but standout businesses are also matched with a follow-up support programme covering social media, branding, digital marketing strategy, and digitalization support. Because the best stories deserve more than an audience. They deserve real, ongoing change.
The Brief
What Students Will Explore
- The history of the business - does it have cultural significance? What inspired the owner to start it?
- What unique barriers and struggles has she faced as a woman owning a local business?
- What is the business, exactly?
- How has it impacted the community around it?
“What can we learn about women's opportunities, values, and environments in your country? And how do these businesses reflect the opportunities and values within that community?”
We often don't hear local business stories like these in major media outlets - this is a chance to learn from them and raise awareness.
Format
Deliverables & Prizes
Deliverables
- One 3-5 minute short video
- or one 500-1,200 word journalistic post
Prizes
- Publication
- Certificates of participation
- Cash prize
How You're Scored
Judging Criteria
Relevance
25%How well the submission addresses women's opportunities, values, and environments.
Research depth & accuracy
25%How thoroughly and accurately the story is researched.
Storytelling
20%How well the submission conveys the challenges overcome by the business.
Creativity
15%Whether the post is unique in design, storytelling method, or approach.
Technical quality
10%Whether photos or video are clear and tastefully edited.
Ethical representation
5%How the team collaborated with the owner for an ethical, accurate portrayal.
Key Dates
Operational Timeline
Registration Deadline
31 September
Submission Deadline
29 October
Judging Period
From 30 October
Announcement Date
5 November
Support
What We Provide
- A competition toolkit (sent shortly after registration)
- Interview guides
- A Her Business consent form
- Certificates of participation
- Publication opportunities
- Optional feedback from judges
Beyond The Story
Collaboration Model
Phase 1
Interview & Document
Students interview and document the story of a local, woman-owned business through a short video or journalistic article.
Phase 2
Selection
Businesses showing the most community impact, resilience, and growth potential are chosen for an entrepreneurial skill-refinement programme.
Phase 3
Business Support
Selected businesses receive social media & branding help, a tailored digital marketing strategy, customer feedback surveys, digitalization support, platform features, and volunteer support.
Who Can Join
Eligibility
Participants
- Students aged 14-25
- Individuals or teams of up to 3 members
- Open internationally
- Work must be original
- Submissions in English (or with English subtitles)
- One entry per category, per team
The Business
- Locally owned
- Founded or majority-owned by a woman
- Operating legally within its country or community
- Willing to participate in an interview
- Consents to photos, video, and written articles being published
The Fine Print
Submission Guidelines
Short Video
- 3-5 minutes long
- English or English subtitles
- Original footage
Journalistic Post
- 500-1,200 words
- Original writing
- At least 3 photographs
- No AI use
- References cited in MLA 9 style
- Written in English
Every Submission Must Include
- Your name
- Country and city
- Business name and location
- Name of the business owner
- Submission category
How to Submit
- 1.Submit the Google Form registration by 31 September
- 2.Submit your finished work by 29 October
- 3.Sign the consent form and email it in alongside your submission