Telling the ECSA Story

In Ghana, they call them “market queens”—women traders who have the connections and influence to organize women, adjust market prices, and influence trading patterns in their area. Faced with government shutdowns in local markets to stop the spread of COVID19, these women found ways to organize social distancing and  keep the markets open so people could eat. By the end of 2020, the World Food Programme predicts that  265 million people will be facing starvation  because of COVID19. CARE’s research shows a similar jump in hunger: in  Bangladesh , 70% of women are worried that they can’t buy nutritious and diverse diets for their children. In  Jordan’s Azraq camp , 50% of people are reporting food shortages—and 90% of women say food is their biggest need right now. For  women, the picture is worse —women already make up 60% of the world’s hungry people, and are the  first to lose their incomes and market access  in a crisis. But as always, wo...

“Mata Masu Dubara [VSLA] members take their social responsibility very seriously towards their community. Let this crisis be a moment that can bind us in solidarity with each other.” –  Mariama Gambo, Niger “We have faced so many challenges that we have overcome. We’re convinced that our collective determination will beat COVID too.”   -Hawa Guindo, Mali Any time I start to feel overwhelmed by COVID 19 and all of its challenges, I take a minute to find out what women in VSLAs are doing to fight back. In true VSLA tradition, they are finding ways to take the smallest investments and use them to change the world. As they have done for  dozens of crises before COVID , women VSLA members are providing solutions that keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. Supporting these women is an enormous privilege for CARE, and an activity that helps us reach more than 10.3 million VSLA members. VSLAs in  9 countries have already adapted  what they’re do...

By Ninon Ndayikengurukiye Oh Motherhood, wonders of wonders That’s what parents and elders have taught me That motherhood was precious That a smile from a newborn is Such a song that brings to the seventh heaven But I've realized it takes more than a kid’s smile to be a happy mother Oh Motherhood, river pebble Hopelessness when I realized That I did not have enough milk to breastfeed the bones of my own bones And no money to appease their hunger A great sadness lay in me, which overpowered me I break into tears and wince of sorrows In a tighter timeframe, my hopes to be a good mother darken And I realized it takes strength to fail and still stand Memory, Oh memory, Blue like this scarf with unfathomable depths that carries our pain Drown in my kids’ innocent starving eyes Unable to breastfeed them Beaten like a criminal by the father of mine I experienced long months of hospitalization Beaten for missing breast milk, Body’s milk which I’m not potter Distraught after the de...

My name is Aline YAMINYOBORA. I am 23 years old. I live on Buseruko hill, in Mugina commune of Cibitoke province. I was born in a modest family. My father Jérôme NSABIMANA, a 62 years old butcher and my mother Félicité HAKIZIMANA, 48, a farmer, both manage to provide for their six children: 3 girls and 3 boys and I am the fifth child of this family. Since my young age, my mother has always advised me to study, prepare my future, pay attention to boys who could mislead me and destroy my life but I did not pay attention. At the age of 15, I was in 6 th grade and I passed the national test but could not get the grade required to go to high school. I had to leave my commune to study in a private craft school and I took the sewing option. The school was located in another neighboring commune of Rugombo where I had to walk one hour in the morning and evening. There are lots of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles on Mugina and Rugombo road. People I didn’t know could stop to give me an...

CARE International in Uganda, with funding from ECHO  (European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid) completed a Gender Based Violence (GBV) Response and Prevention project in Rhino Camp and Imvepi refugee settlements and host communities, following the influx of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda. CARE supports survivors of Gender Based Violence through psycho-social counseling, and referral to other service points so as to restore dignity and hope for vulnerable women and girls. CARE’s GBV Response helps survivors utilize medical, police and legal resources to ensure their recovery as well as ensuring that perpetrators of GBV are brought to justice. This is a story about CARE’s GBV Response. Nancy* is 29 years old with two children. She fled South Sudan in June 2017 with scant hope of seeing her children and mother, who had travelled to Uganda four months earlier.   Since the father of her children died in the war battle, it was not easy for the single moth...

October 24, 2018 On a windy, cloudy day I went to visit Hellen Yomi at her small business, Hellen Yomi Enterprises. Upon my arrival, her business had several customers under a common sitting area Hellen and her husband recently built to add value to her shop. She pointed out, “ This is an area people like to come and drink sodas and socialize.” Hellen is one of 201 youths in Omugo, an extension of Rhino Camp, being trained in business skills, mentored, and supported with a 1-time in-kind grant. This project is funded by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) and implemented by CARE International in Uganda and local partner, WINEPS. At the end of the training, each youth was supported in writing a business plan for a business they plan to open. After a vetting process, 200 youth, including Hellen, were selected to receive in-kind start up grants that enabled her to apply her business skills knowledge to start her business. Hellen standing in her shop. Hellen, 25, ...