Deidra Mwalimu

CEO & Founder

Deidra Mwalimu is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Network of Women NOW, an international organization implementing integrated reproductive health education and women’s economic empowerment programs in underserved communities. With more than 15 years of experience in international development, nonprofit administration, and grant-funded program implementation, Deidra brings expertise in program design, cross-sector partnerships, and sustainable livelihoods development.

Her work centers on the establishment of women-led sewing cooperatives as a workforce development and income-generation strategy linked to public health outcomes. These cooperatives provide skills training in sewing, textile production, and small-scale manufacturing while producing essential goods—including reusable menstrual products, hygiene kits, school uniforms, and community textiles—for local distribution. Cooperative activities are intentionally integrated with reproductive health and personal hygiene education to strengthen knowledge retention, reduce period poverty, and support long-term economic participation.

Deidra has led cooperative-based initiatives in rural Louisiana and internationally, including projects in India, Belize, Nepal, and East Africa. Her implementation model prioritizes local governance, fair compensation, culturally appropriate production, and supply-chain sustainability, while minimizing dependency on external donations. She has experience overseeing startup phases, equipment procurement, training delivery, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and multi-year grant compliance.

In addition to her role at Network of Women NOW, Deidra serves as a professional grant writer and program strategist, supporting academic institutions and nonprofit organizations in securing and managing funding for education, public health, and workforce development initiatives. Her work reflects a data-driven, community-led approach to advancing women’s economic security and health equity.