Empowering women in rural Mali
Improving the economic and social status of women in Koulikoro through greater forest access rights, responsibility and participation
Why is this project needed?
The climate crisis is causing temperatures to rise and weather patterns to shift across Africa. Land is losing fertility and people can't grow enough food. As a result, over one third of the population of Mali (43%) are living in poverty. Here, many people face insecurity over their rights to natural resources. Women in particular rarely have access to the land, equipment and training they need to grow food to eat and sell.
Trees provide a solution, improving soil fertility and absorbing carbon dioxide to tackle the climate crisis. When crops fail to grow, trees survive to produce products to eat and sell, helping communities build resilience to the effects of the climate crisis.
Our aims
During this project, we aim to:
- Ensure long-term secured access to forest resources is granted to women’s cooperatives in 11 villages
- Support the implementation of effective and sustainable land management practices by women’s cooperatives in 11 villages
- Help ensure women's enterprises that utilize forest resources are developed and profitable across 11 villages
- Promote the uptake of sustainable economic activities, to reduce the pressure on natural resources
Our impact so far
Since the project started in September 2021, we have:
- Established 11 cooperatives enterprise groups for entrepreneurs (particularly women) to work and learn together
- Trained 118 people in water and soil conservation techniques
- Trained 192 people in plant production methods
- Established 8 wells to improve access to water in the communities
