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UnLtd social entrepreneur named most inspiring role model for women in business

UnLtd social entrepreneur named most inspiring role model for women in business

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Innovative social entrepreneur and the founder of Safe & the City has won a prestigious award from the Commonwealth Busineswoman’s Network.

UnLtd social entrepreneur Jillian Kowalchuk received the first Salima Ahmed Award for the Most Inspiring Role Model for Women in Business at the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network at a prestigious heads of government meeting in London.

Safe & the City is a pioneering London-based software technology company, that uses geolocation tech and Metropolitan Police data in its app with the aim of preventing sexual harassment against women and girls on the streets – from wolf whistling to serious crimes such as rape.

The app aggregates open data on crimes, street lighting, and business opening hours. It combines this with crowdsourced experiences of sexual harassment, violence and potential environmental or urban causes of harassment and crime.

This means the app looks out for things like malfunctioning street lighting, dark passageways and then provides alternative routes where women feel safer.

Freda Miriklis, Chair, Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network, said: “Jillian Kowalchuk sets a model for inspiring women everywhere for her innovation, inspiration and impact and support with and for others. As Heads of Government in London agreed ‘to prioritise access to Information and Communication Technology for all in their national development plans, including through a gender and equity lens’, Jillian shows how ICT can be innovative and inclusive.”

Revolutionising the way people navigate cities by designing out crime and antisocial behaviours in the cities together one step at a time. Safe & The City- It’s Your City. #sbs @TheoPaphitis pic.twitter.com/IDianeXJzl

— Safe & The City (@safeandthecity) April 22, 2018

We supported Jillian with funding and support through our Grow it award. A Grow It award consists of:

  • 12 months mentoring and tailored support from an award manager (one of our experts in social entrepreneurship)
  • £15,000 Award to grow your venture
  • Connections to investors, corporate partners and other successful entrepreneurs, helping you develop your networks

Jillian Kowalchuk, founder of Safe & the City, said: “I am thrilled to be awarded the Unltd Grow It Award for Safe & The City to be formally recognised as a socially driven enterprise by one of the leading U.K. institutions.""

""Our vision to build a world where women and girls feel safe while walking is only possible with the community we build around us which Unltd has now joined. We are so grateful for this financial award to help us continue to pursue this. We look forward to the year ahead and maximising all the resources available through them.”

The app is available to download here: www.safeandthecity.com