Country of Residence
United States
Age
19
Project title
SPARKHope
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
SPARKHope is the largest Gen Z–led menopausal health equity nonprofit in the US. We work to make sure women in midlife get the care research says they need. We bring free clinics, sexual health education, and menopause support to women too often left out of care and conversation. We share their stories to challenge stigma and move people to act.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://sparkhope.netlify.app @sparkhope.us
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Scaling (We’re expanding impact to new locations or in new and innovative ways)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
I met her, and I never forgot her. Six years ago, while volunteering at a food bank, I met a woman in her 40s who was there to receive food. As I helped her gather her groceries, she shared that breast cancer treatment had brought on early menopause. She told me about the physical and emotional changes she was experiencing and how difficult it was to find affordable information, support, and care. What struck me most was that after everything she had already been through, she still felt like she was navigating her health alone. That conversation stayed with me. I began looking deeper and realized her experience reflected a larger gap in healthcare. Too many women in midlife are left without the resources and support they need. And too often, access to that support depends on something as simple as where you live. I kept thinking: her health shouldn’t depend on her ZIP code. That moment became the beginning of SPARKHope. We believe women in midlife deserve access to the care, information, and dignity they need, regardless of their income, geography, or background. Today, SPARKHope works to close those gaps through free health clinics, sexual health education, menopause support, and storytelling that challenges the stigma and inspires action. What began with one conversation has become a commitment: No woman should have to choose between being heard and being healthy
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Growing up, healthcare was not always something my family could afford. I remember sleeping in the warehouse where my parents worked, witnessing firsthand the sacrifices they made to provide for us. From an early age, I understood that access to healthcare was not guaranteed, but often depended on financial circumstances. These experiences shaped my belief that no one should have to choose between their health and basic necessities. Years later, when I learned about the inequities menopausal women face, I recognized a similar pattern of neglect. Millions of women navigate menopause without adequate education, affordable treatment, or providers equipped to address their concerns. For women from underserved communities, financial barriers, cultural stigma, and limited access to specialized care make these challenges even greater. Despite menopause affecting half the population, women's experiences are frequently dismissed or overlooked. I founded SPARKHope to help bridge these gaps through education, advocacy, and community partnerships. What began as a desire to address menopausal health inequities has grown into a broader mission to empower underserved communities. Having experienced the uncertainty of limited access to care myself, I want to ensure that others are not left facing their health challenges alone.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Through SPARKHope, the nonprofit I founded, we address health inequities through direct healthcare services, community outreach, and education, with a special focus on women's health. Our flagship #LetsTalkMenopause program challenges the stigma surrounding menopause through educational resources, advocacy, and conversations that empower women to understand their health and seek appropriate care. Beyond education, our Street Medicine Program works to connect underserved and unhoused individuals with essential healthcare resources. We collaborate with local free clinics and refugee centers to expand access to care, including flu vaccination initiatives. At our community health fair, we brought together services including blood glucose testing, preventive screenings, STI testing, and free haircuts, making healthcare and personal care more accessible in one setting. Our Food for Families program addresses food insecurity, while our Hygiene Kit Program distributes essential personal care supplies to individuals facing financial hardship. We also lead creative awareness campaigns through community tabling events, handmade pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness, educational zines, and interactive trivia games that make health education engaging and approachable. Finally, we organize educational workshops and speak at schools, universities, and conferences, presenting research and encouraging conversations about overlooked health disparities. Our interactive Perimenopause Lab helps women understand hormonal changes, symptoms, and treatment options. By combining immediate assistance with long-term education and advocacy, SPARKHope works to remove barriers to care while empowering communities to advocate for lasting change.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Six years ago, I founded SPARKHope, now the nation's largest Gen Z-led nonprofit focused on menopausal health equity. Since then, we've reached 2.1 million people across 67+ countries, donated 200,214 pounds of food, and hosted 105 free health clinics. Our statewide Arizona health fair served 400+ individuals through screenings, vaccinations, STI testing, dental care, and haircuts. Our flagship #LetsTalkMenopause initiative and Perimenopause Lab combat stigma, while our free 12-module health curriculum and Ambassador Toolkit equip our inaugural board of 9 global ambassadors to lead local health equity initiatives. SPARKHope's work has earned recognition including Arizona 18 Under 18, the American Pakistani Foundation Rising Star in Public Service, the Stella Kiarie Innovation in Health Equity Award, 2 IIT Clinton E. Stryker Awards, Arizona Women of Achievement, Arizona 30 Under 30, and Arizona Innovation Under 25. Our impact has also been recognized by Forbes, YahooNews, the UN, Points of Light, Mayors David Ortega and Brandon Johnson, and Congressman David Schweikert. Every number represents our commitment to making healthcare accessible to all.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
We are building a youth-led model that combines healthcare access, education, technology, and grassroots advocacy. While many women's health initiatives focus on reproductive health during adolescence and pregnancy, menopause remains overlooked. Our flagship #LetsTalkMenopause program challenges this gap by bringing conversations about perimenopause and menopause into schools, universities, and communities where they have historically been absent. Our interactive Perimenopause Lab transforms complex medical information into accessible, engaging learning experiences, helping individuals better understand hormonal changes, symptoms, and treatment options. Unlike traditional health education programs that rely on lectures or pamphlets, we created a free 12-module health curriculum featuring interactive activities, educational zines, and hands-on learning. Through our Global Ambassador Toolkit, we equip young leaders with ready-to-use resources to bring these initiatives into their own communities, adapting them to local cultural and healthcare needs. What further distinguishes SPARKHope is our integration of education with direct service. Rather than simply teaching communities about healthcare disparities, we partner with free clinics, refugee centers, and street medicine programs to help address barriers to care. Our Food for Families and Hygiene Kit initiatives also recognize that health equity begins with meeting basic human needs. By mobilizing Gen Z as both educators and advocates, SPARKHope is developing a scalable model where young people are not waiting to become healthcare professionals to create change. We are making preventive healthcare education accessible, community-driven, and globally adaptable.
How many people are on your team?
20
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
SPARKHope is guided by 6 Board Directors providing mentorship and strategic oversight. Our 5 member National Board, which I lead as the president. There is a vice president, public relations, marketing, and finance office. Our 9 member Global Ambassador Council drives international outreach, and we have 15 clubs across the US, with 7–40 members, leading local initiatives. Many additional student volunteers participate in events to earn service hours.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, I hope to expand SPARKHope's 15 U.S. chapters, working toward our goal of establishing a chapter in all 50 states. We also plan to strengthen partnerships with free clinics, refugee centers, and healthcare professionals to host more free health clinics, preventive screenings, and vaccination drives for underserved communities. A major priority is expanding our flagship #LetsTalkMenopause initiative by distributing more menopause hygiene kits, developing our interactive Perimenopause Lab, and increasing access to menopause education. In spring 2027, I plan to speak at the United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum, bringing greater attention to menopausal health inequities and the role of youth-led organizations in addressing them. We plan to partner with national organizations, women's health advocacy groups, and medical institutions to improve preventive care and menopause education. I also hope to collaborate with legislators to help draft a bill requiring menopause education in medical schools and expanding insurance coverage for menopause-related care. Internationally, we aim to secure grants, sponsorships, and nonprofit partnerships to fund the construction of safe, private toilets for women and girls in Kenya, improving sanitation, safety, and dignity.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
At SPARKHope, we turn awareness into action by giving young people opportunities to lead health equity initiatives. Through our 15 chapters across the U.S., each with 7–40 members, we engage 105–600 chapter members, alongside additional student volunteers who earn community service hours by organizing events, assembling hygiene kits, and supporting free clinics. Our inaugural 9-member Global Ambassador Council extends this work internationally. We provide ambassadors with a toolkit and free 12-module health curriculum, empowering them to organize health workshops, awareness campaigns, and service projects in their own communities. We also recruit volunteers through schools, universities, social media, and community partnerships. Students participate in breast cancer awareness tabling, create handmade pink ribbons and educational zines, lead interactive health trivia, assemble menopause hygiene kits, and support food distributions and vaccination drives. Our volunteers have helped support 105 free health clinics. Beyond volunteering, we educate communities through our #LetsTalkMenopause campaign, interactive Perimenopause Lab, research presentations, and conference workshops. These efforts have helped SPARKHope reach 2.1 million individuals across 67+ countries.
