Hawa Varney has more than nine years of experience in gender and rural development working with grassroots women, adolescents, children, and disadvantaged youth in Liberia. Currently, she is project coordinator at the Foundation for Community Initiatives, working on a multicountry project that seeks to end gender-based violence in Liberia, Ghana, and Mali. She is also founder and volunteer executive director at Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development, a non-profit organization that improves the livelihoods of women and girls through agriculture services and other income-generating activities. Hawa's vision is to contribute toward ending violence against women and girls using innovative, community-driven actions, and inclusive approaches. Hawa holds a master's degree in Rural Development from the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Hawa plans to continue creating sustainable livelihoods for women and girls through agriculture, agribusiness, and other income-generating activities.