Rural Women and Girls Rising

Imagine living in a world where the entirety of the population are empowered so their contribution to the community truly matters and makes a difference. Women and girls make up roughly just over half of the population in Kigoma, yet many are still bound by the patriarchal rules of the community – looking after the home and family, collecting water, and being a wife and mother from a young age through their lives. A girl will grow up with dreams of achieving goals as an independent woman, but those dreams can be unlikely to come true as they have to step into their roles of wife and mother. Structural barriers and discriminatory norms continue to constrain women and girls, especially in rural areas.

However, at MVG we don’t simply appreciate women and girls’ rights as human beings, we also see the potential of their greatness and dreams. We are empowering women and girls and helping them rise.

Within our projects that take climate action, restore our environment, getting access to clean and safe water, and ending poverty, empowering women and girls is an integral part, as it should be everywhere.

Agriculture is a significant profession in rural Kigoma. We know that women are responsible for half of the world’s food production whilst protecting the environment, and yet in rural areas, women and girls are disproportionately affected by poverty and climate change. We see many young women who want to work in agriculture, and we’re determined to help them achieve their dreams. We help various women to further train in agriculture, ensuring their land is healthy, their seeds are of good quality, and that they have every bit of knowledge and training they can have to help them succeed in their ventures. Furthermore, through our Hope Rising entrepreneurship scheme, we also train young people in various income-generating activities, such as beekeeping, soap-production and carpentry – activities that young women want to take on to earn money that are also compatible with sustainable development.

Our climate is changing and our land is degrading – there is no escaping this reality. Unfortunately, this is an even harsher reality for women and girls, amplifying existing social and economic inequalities. We may not recognise this fact aloud, but women are the backbone of our communities. As families are plunged into economic shock, it’s the women and girls that have to pick up the pieces at home. It can even lead to girls being sold into early marriages in dire situations. The economic opportunities and independence of women faces even more difficulties than before.

As the land dries up even further, it’s our women and girls that are impacted the most by the water scarcity. Women and girls are the ones that have to walk those extra hours to find and collect it for the households; and these walks can be dangerous for women and girls, leaving them vulnerable to gender-based violence. Between water scarcity and the degradation of the safety and biological and chemical health of the water, the health of women and girls are put further at risk. Access to clean and safe water is one of the most basic fundamental rights we have, and yet it is still not a reality for everyone, and our women and girls are facing the worst impact of this. But we’re fighting to get access to clean and safe water to as many families and communities as possible, by installing water pumps. We are incredibly proud of this project, and have seen the amazing and profound impact this has had upon everyone, but especially women and girls.

Every girl should have the same opportunities and same education as their male counterparts – they should have access to an education that will open doors for the rest of their lives. Yet, between all of the impacts of climate change and a patriarchal system of society – as our land degrades, as water becomes scarcer, as their economic situation worsens – girls are having to drop out of school. Perhaps it starts with a few hours here and there to collect water from further away. Perhaps the girls are needed with their mothers back at home to support the household. Or perhaps they enter an early marriage for the price of the bride to save the family and allow the girl to eat and to live. But through our projects – whether it is to end poverty and increase income generation, or getting access to clean and safe water – we are steadily keeping more and more girls in the classroom where they belong, gaining an education and creating dreams for their futures. 

Women and girls make up roughly half of the population. Their power and strength is profound. Imagine the society and communities we could be living in when we are empowering women and girls. We can see that dream, and we’re working towards it, step by step, seeing women and girls rising.

Many women and girls still have to walk for hours to collect dirty and unsafe water.

Installing water pumps in the community changes the lives of women and girls.

Every girl and woman deserves a proper education and the training they need to earn a decent income.

Empowering women in agriculture is a huge step towards climate action and ending poverty and hunger.