In rural Africa, women are very closely tied to their natural environment, often responsible for growing food, collecting firewood and housing materials, dipping water, searching for medicinal plants and tending livestock, not to mention caring for their families. As a result of these activities, women can have a profound effect on the health of their natural landscape. Extreme poverty, exacerbated among women in rural Africa, means it’s often difficult for them to utilize their resources wisely. Our women’s development program seeks to help build the economic self-sufficiency of women while promoting environmentally-friendly enterprises.