Aspiring Leaders, Inspiring Change is an evidence based campaign using storytelling around Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) and Mental Health. The objective was to capture stories of change of 15 women from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe who are working within their respective communities to change the narrative around sexual and reproductive health and its impact on mental health. The stories spotlight how these women have become influencers within their communities by fostering a cadre of young women champions to carry forward the mantle.

To illustrate the stories we decided to use flowers as both the unifier and differentiator. Flowers are a strong symbol of not just softness and femininity but are also the reproductive organ of any plant/tree. With the book containing stories of women working on sexual and reproductive health, this seemed to work well. Further, with the 15 women belonging to as many countries, we decided to make the most of this fact by illustrating the national flowers of the countries. We created bold portraits of the women which held center stage while talking about their experiences.

The World YWCA is a grassroots-driven, global movement rooted in the leadership of women, young women, and girls with a focus on empowerment and rights in more than 100 countries. From advocating around reproductive rights to promoting participation in peace processes, World YWCA supports women’s individual and collective power to champion social change.