How Women Are Effecting Change in Kenya's Kasigau

Corridor | Geoff Livingston

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It is well known that women are more likely to invest in their communities than men, and that a
developing country that invests in women advances quicker and further. What is amazing is to see
this phenomena occur in a society, as I did last month in Kenya.
As part of my work documenting Audi's carbon offset program, I flew to the Kasigau Corridor
REDD+ Project in the southeastern part of Kenya. Like in many parts of Africa, women are generally
considered second class citizens. But in the Kasigau Corridor, they are creating systemic change
that, in turn, is protecting the land.

Income is a huge issue in the corridor. Slash and burn farming, the deforestation of the land for
charcoal, and elephant poaching all provide quick sources of income for families in need,

particularly the men responsible for support. Unfortunately, the income is not sustainable and
fleeting at best.
The long-term impacts are many. The land is ravaged, meaning less economic opportunity. There is a
resulting downward spiral that creates a desperate situation in the home.

As a result, women often find themselves in suffering households with many risks ranging from
HIV/AIDS to extreme poverty. That is why their role in the Kasigau Corridor's recovery is so
amazing.
The Power of Kenyan Women

Women's groups in Kasigau Corridor are one of the leading solutions ushering in sustainable change
in the region. The loosely knit associations of women engage in entrepreneurial activities like
producing arts and crafts sold in the U.S. through the auspices of REDD+ Project manager Wildlife
Works. In all, there are 26 registered women's groups in the Corridor, touching 550 women or 4% of
the overall population.
With the resulting money women are building clean water tanks, buying solar lights and clean cook
stoves for their households, and providing an education for their children. Husbands see the positive
impact on their households and encourage their wives' newfound roles in the Kasigau community.

These Marasi Primary School girls are dressed up for a traditional dance ceremony to celebrate
World Environment Day. They have a chance for a different future than their mothers, thanks to the
changes occurring in the Kasigau Corridor.
The impact is far more than numerical though. Each woman has her own story of renaissance. And
each story impacts handfuls of others, creating a spreading boon of positivity and economic growth
in the Kasigua Corridor.

Saum Chaka (above) is a member of the Neema Women's Group, which has been operating since
2011. The group helped her out when a windstorm destroyed her house. She and her six children
had nowhere to go, so the group put up funds to house her and her family while the home was being
rebuilt.
The Neema Group has 15 women in total, and they often help each other out in times of need. They
make their money by selling young trees, creating paper from elephant dung, and making beautiful
jewelry. Some projects the women have taken on include building a water tank for their community
(which ended a five-mile walk for water) and sending their children to school.

Jenliza Mwikamba (above) is part of the 32-member, 10-year-old Bungule Women's Group. She said
her house was made of grass and leaky, and that her kids did not have beds and were not attending
school. Now there is a metal roof over her house, and her children sleep in beds and are in
secondary school. She and the other women in Bungule make money by weaving and selling colorful
baskets.

A third women's group features opportunities for women who have suffered injuries or are
handicapped. The Bugata Disabled and Handicapped Group produces stuffed animals for the Wildlife
Works markets.
The Overall Impact

Women's groups are powerful, but they are not completely open. A woman must be invited to
participate, and participate she must. If a woman does not show up and meet her obligations, she is
asked to leave.
While the groups are a primary source of revenue for women, there are additional opportunities. The
Wildlife Works Ranger Corps has added women to its staff in its efforts to protect the forest from
slash and burn farming and charcoal burning, as well as its wildlife inhabitants from poachers. Other
women have joined the Wildlife Works eco-charcoal making team.

There are many, many levers that are changing the course of the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project
area's future. It is clear that women are one of the most powerful ones.
When I consider that their reach touches more than 10% of the region, it is clear that the home
improvements, education and general living improvements are lifting the morale of the region. I
think these levers are a primary reason people are friendly and welcoming in Kasigau. Life is
improving and the future looks brighter.
Disclosures: Audi paid me to visit Africa and capture content as part of a larger documentary project
that will be released this Fall. Audi supports Wildlife Works as part of a carbon offset program that
compensates for the manufacturing and the first 50,000 gas driving miles of the new A3 e-tron. All
photographs are by me, the author, Geoff Livingston.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoff-livingston/how-women-are-effecting-c_b_7805250.html