Telling the ECSA Story

John Akech narrated to the FEED II team his story in Bor, Jonglei State. CARE International South Sudan When it comes to gender equality in communities , many believe that progress is slow and difficult to achieve. However, one man's story from Kolnyang County, Jonglei state, South Sudan , proves that change is possible . Meet John Akech, 25 years old, a farmer and a father of three, who has changed his views on women's leadership through his participation in the Social Analysis and Action (SAA) program under the Fortifying Equality and Economic Diversification II p ro ject CARE International offers through the G lobal A ffairs C anada financial support. SAA is a facilitated process through which individuals and communities explore and challenge the social norms, beliefs, and practices that shape their lives and are at the root of the development problems that CARE seeks to address.   As a member of the Mading Gal F ield F armers B usiness S chool /Beekeeping produce...

Women organic tea pluckers seated for an event. CARE International In the hills of Bungu, where tea plantations stretch as far as the eye can see, sits the SAKARE Specialty Tea Factory—the first-ever speciality tea demo factory in Tanzania. This milestone marked the beginning of a remarkable journey aiming to bridge not just the gap of gender roles but also the technological and market divides that have long dominated the landscape for smallholder tea farmers in Bungu. SAKARE Specialty Tea Factory emerges as a beacon of change, and against the odds, it boasts a workforce where women play a predominant role.   At the production level, women like Hobokeza Moyo stand as exemplars of dedication and transformation. They turn their tea farm plots into organic havens, anticipating a remarkable 23% increase in income compared to conventional green leaf prices. Hobokeza’s optimism is infectious as she shares, “Even though we are yet to sell to Sakare Specialty Tea Company, we expect to sell...

Mambwe resident teaching community members. CARE International/Gift Katuta Access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Early Childhood Education (ECE) services is essential for a vibrant future. But what about the hardest-to-reach communities? Thanks to the incredible support of Paul and Mary Jan Bancroft, CARE Zambia has found a way to make it happen through Nyenyezi. Agnes Mumba, the Provincial Education Standard Officer, is thrilled with the impact of Nyenyezi, which has been operating in a few different districts over the past five years. She shared, "I am pleased by the work that Nyenyezi is doing. It addresses the needs of children in Eastern Province, where education levels are low and teenage pregnancies and early marriages are high. Our children often start school late due to long distances between their homes and schools. By grade 5, they are already older and facing challenges like early pregnancies and marriages." Christine Sinyangwe, Mambwe District Educatio...

Dried maize plants at Anna Chitiyo's farm in Mutare Rural District, Zimbabwe/ CARE Zimbabwe CARE, Nairobi, Kenya, – 22 April 2024: Southern Africa is on the brink of a devastating hunger crisis as a relentless drought tightens its grip. El Niño has led to searing heat that led to massive crop failure causing water sources to dry up. As a result, millions of people in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia have been driven towards starvation. To highlight this crisis, CARE alongside the Human Science Research Council, FANRPAN, and Rural Women’s Assembly held a press conference on 22 nd April 2024 to call for international donor support to combat the worsening crisis.   "The situation is dire and demands urgent and coordinated action to avert a catastrophe," emphasized Matthew Pickard, CARE Southern Africa Regional Director. "We are particularly concerned by the impact of this emergency on women and girls who form the backbone of local communities. who have had their farms sco...