Because of you, women farmers like Aminatou Salifou are now far less vulnerable to drought and hunger than they used to be.
Aminatou lives in Niger and her situation was making her desperate. Her crops were lost to worsening droughts. She was out of food and income.
Nearly half of farmers in developing countries are women. Like Aminatou, their children suffer when lack of rain leads to failing crops.
Overcoming obstacles.
Women farmers are especially vulnerable to challenges like drought and food shortages. They tend to own less livestock, land and other assets, and they are more likely to sell those assets to support their family’s immediate needs.
This makes it hard for women farmers to get ahead and to find truly lasting solutions to drought, hunger and poverty.
Thankfully, Aminatou had generous people like you in her corner, providing access to:
- Sheep to breed for starting herds
- Knowledge and resources for improving harvests
- Loans to start small businesses
For women farmers, these gifts go a long way toward building a more stable future.
Age-old problems, long-term solutions.
Another challenge women like Aminatou – and, in fact, all women – face is the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day. In that 24 hours, women in developing countries often have to tend children, keep the house, cook and walk great distances to fetch water, to name a few daily activities. Women also tend to be in charge of keeping the household garden from which her family survives.
Because of you, woman farmers are now less reliant on crops alone, creating other sources of income to provide for their families.
Aminatou took a loan from her local, woman-only savings and loan group to start a business making and selling doughnuts in the market. Plus, she earns money from sheep’s wool, milk and meat.
Now, thanks to you, she and other women farmers can:
- Overcome worsening droughts and feed themselves through better farming techniques
- Gain a source of food and income with sheep breeding programs
- Use technology for weather forecasts, market data for crops and online information for farming questions
- Build long-term independence through local savings and loans to start businesses
- Thrive year-round and strengthen entire villages
Many women farmers have lifted their families out of poverty through this work. But there are more mothers, struggling to feed their children, who need you today.
Will you help her provide for her children with your gift today?