Association: LAAFI France

Training women in the profession of beekeeping, with the aim to also preserve the biodiversity of the region.

In Burkina Faso, 80% of the working population are involved in agriculture. In the central-western region of the country, communities are shaken by waves of terrorism and are affected by climate change, women unfortunately find themselves in a situation of extreme economic vulnerability. The project "Burkina Bees Beekeeping Solidarity", led by the association LAAFI, aims to support vulnerable women from unfortunate backgrounds by educating a hundred women as professional beekeepers. The project will not only train women with the right skills but also provide them with appropriate equipment, they will also receive support to develop their own small farms. Each beekeeper will produce approximately 25 kilos of honey per year and have a monthly income of 50 €. The project will provide women with reliable employment and a stable income.

Association: Chaussettes Orphelines (Orphan Socks)

Supporting the economic integration of vulnerable women through recycling scrap fabrics and manufacturing into clothing.

For 12 years, the association has been the support network for many women suffering from dangerous situations, providing Emergency Accommodation Centres and workshops. The women the association supports strive for their own independence, the training programmes and workshops that are held enable them to learn seamstress skills, this helps them gain the financial freedom and independence they desire and give them an opportunity to start a new life. The project allows women as well as those with disabilities and young adults in unemployment, to combine their newly obtained skills of recycling and upcycling fabrics; including odd socks, into saleable clothing. This has enabled them with the knowledge, experience and skills to support career opportunities.

Association: SOL

Educating and training women with organic agricultural farming skills.

By 2030, the French agricultural workforce will dramatically reduce. Many farmers will retire, however there is no opportunity to pass on the experience and knowledge due to the lack of new workers entering this field. In result of this, it will leave a noticeable gap in the market that will cause added problems to the farming industry.
There is a lack of opportunities for those that wish to become farmers but do not have the knowledge or experience, and a clear disadvantage especially for women who are discriminated against and face further difficulties because of gender. Despite this, more and more people are looking to still become farmers, with the hope for sustainable alternative models that preserve the environment.
The SOL association offers support to women who do not have an agricultural background with the goal of forming their own agricultural projects. These women will benefit from comprehensive training and will gain agricultural skills, economic management skills for their trade, as well as environmental knowledge.

Association: Humanitarian Association for Africa

Supporting the work of female farmers, through the production of preserves and juices from surplus harvested tomatoes.

In Benin, in the commune of Kpomassé, located 50 km from Cotonou, tomato farming is one of the main produces from the country. During the harvesting season between July and September however, the land produces too much crop. As there is no sustainable solution and no infrastructure, the surplus crop is then thrown away to be wasted. After harvest season there is a period of scarcity of produce, the tomatoes then become scarce and expensive.
Working with the local village women, the Humanitarian Association for Africa and its local partner, The Cercle de Recherches pour L'Identification et La Promotion des Alternatives du Développement Durable (CRIPADD), wish to support 80 women in tomato processing and to campaign for sustainable harvesting. Several initiatives will tackle the issue of surplus crop: education in tomato preservation, the creation of a working group for processing canned tomatoes, establishing a distribution system, strengthening women's skills and supporting towards collective structuring. This project will reduce waste, be a food source and actively enable employment through the development of agriculture and farming processes.

Association:D'Antilles et D'Ailleurs

Enabling women from difficult backgrounds with the skills to reintegrate professionally through the manufacture of female hygiene products and reusable diapers.

In Martinique, an overseas region of France, vulnerable women and their children are seeking refuge from abuse, and their situations have worsened. The cost of baby care and feminine hygiene products are expensive and most cannot afford these items. This is also the issue with food, however many have to choose food over hygiene products.
The "Patchwork" project, led by the association D'Antilles et D'Ailleurs, aims to respond to these problems by offering 25 women professional support to get them out of prostitution, by training them with seamstress skills. Women will benefit from specialised training in the manufacture of diapers and reusable hygienic protection. These skills along with personal skills that they will develop, will be transferrable, they will be supported and encouraged to continue their training so that they can find a full time employment.

Association: Envol Vert

To restore the wheat and honey agricultural sectors whilst applying agroecological practices.

The social and economic situation of Socota, a region in the north of Colombia, has been affected since the development of coal mines. This has caused a large part of the working population to move away from the agricultural sector to coal mining. Local farmers are now miners, this has destabilised the fragile ecosystems of this Andean foothills and caused the region to fall in wheat production, this has resulted the country to now import produce from the United States. Alongside the severe environmental issues of coal mining, now, the cost of importing on the environment has further increased pollutants.
Envol Vert, in collaboration with its local partner Agrosolidaria, a local agricultural cooperative, wishes to restructure and change the agricultural industry. Local produce includes crops of wheat and honey but farming techniques are poorly developed. The associations will preserve harvesting of crops, the environment, and will create equal opportunities for women that are discriminated against. 50 farmers will be trained in agroecological initiatives and will be supported to develop the agricultural ecosystem, including the building of community nurseries, planting of trees to restore watercourses, constructing cultivation plots and receive education for better fertilisation and compost techniques. Restructuring the agricultural sector in the area will allow women and their families to develop their financial autonomy and to be less dependent on the income from mining, and above all, to support the local agriculture that respects the environment.