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Dear friend, Every day, women around the world are breaking barriers and creating meaningful change for themselves, their families, and their communities. Today, on International Women’s Day, I’m reflecting on all of the incredible women I have met through my life and my work. As Mercy Corps’ Africa Communications and Media Manager, I want to tell you about the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC has the highest number of internally displaced people in Africa and is experiencing one of the world’s largest hunger crises. For more than 15 years, Mercy Corps has been providing urgent relief in DRC and working with the Congolese people to build longer-term security and stability. (Click here to learn more about our solutions to hunger in the DRC.) I want to introduce you to Adrienne Rubabaza Nzigre, a farmer and mother whose children were often sick due to malnutrition and anemia. Through our food security program, she learned how to grow a permagarden to provide more reliable, nutritious food for her family.
Adrienne’s permagarden allows her to prepare affordable, nutritious meals for her family. "I enjoy eating vegetables, especially when I add spices. They taste delicious," she says.
But Adrienne’s garden produces more than just vegetables. It’s a source of health, financial security, and community. Today, she can provide her family with a variety of healthy foods — beans, cassava, maize, soy, and sorghum — while the money she used to spend purchasing food can go to other expenses.
Adrienne says the Mercy Corps program has "taught everyone to work hand-in-hand as a community." Here, Brigitte, a neighbor and program participant, teaches a cooking class to other women in the village.
The program’s participants are now teaching other women in their community. “I am proud to see my fellow women changing their lives,” Adrienne says. “When I visit them two or three times and realize they are practicing what I taught, it gives me such pleasure.” When faced with some of the most complex challenges in the world — hunger, poverty, and conflict — women rise up with strength, determination, and perseverance. When women do well, everyone benefits. Thank you for being a part of our global community as we partner with women all over the world to expand opportunities, drive innovation, and make progress toward a brighter future. Together, we can help advance women’s rights and challenge harmful gender norms. Thank you — and Happy International Women’s Day,
Wairima taps her 14 years of experience — and her passion for telling authentic, inspirational African stories — to provide strategic communications support to 19 country offices, while connecting newsmakers, donors, and policy makers to the information they need.
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