Profile of Purpose: Making a Difference

<p><strong>Meet Wandia Gichuru, Co-Founder and CEO of </strong><a href="https://shopzetu.com/collections/vivo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Vivo Activewear</strong></a><strong>, a women’s fashion brand in Nairobi, Kenya. Wandia observed that no one was making clothing with African women in mind; everything available was imported, ill-fitting, and didn’t reflect the culture of the women that surrounded her. She’s creating fashion that uplifts African women, and is doing so with industry-setting labor practices. So it’s not only clothes they’re making; Vivo is creating a new paradigm for products made in Africa for Africans.</strong></p><p><a href="https://ke.linkedin.com/in/wandiagichuru" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Gichuru</strong></a><strong> always wanted to affect positive change, but until she got the idea for Vivo, she didn’t realize that she could do so by pursuing her passion. “I remember having goosebumps and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I don't have to try and find another way to make a difference. I can make a difference right here.’"</strong></p><p><strong>Vivo’s doesn’t just take care of its customers, it also looks after its employees. In an industry that can be notoriously harsh on workers, Vivo offers 5-day workweeks, food, and healthcare to employees, over 70% of which are women themselves.</strong></p><p><strong>As Vivo continues to grow, Gichuru is learning firsthand what kind of impact a social enterprise can have. “I could see that building a significant business in a country like ours, changing the narrative around what local product could mean and what difference that could make to multiple lives in many different ways.”</strong></p><p><strong>Listen to Gichuru’s mini-profile to learn how to make a difference while pursuing your passion.</strong></p><p><strong>To participate in Grit &amp; Growth’s paid focus group, visit </strong><a href="http://stanfordseed.co/podcastsurvey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>http://stanfordseed.co