Letter from…

She Grows: project update Alice Flannery gives an update on She Grows, TREE AID’s women’s environmental development project in Mali.

rylands are defined by a and dry savannah zones around the with some of the women most scarcity of water. They cover to grow and protect trees, and affected by poverty, they saw that over 40 per cent of the Earth’s to lift themselves out of poverty for the decision-making power at the Dland surface, including 66 per cent now and for generations to come. household and community level lies of Africa [1]. TREE AID is working almost entirely with men. with the UN Convention to Combat In 2019, Reforesting Scotland The majority of women depend Desertification (UNCCD) to grow supported TREE AID’s She Grows on the land for survival but trees across the drylands of Africa appeal and thanks to support from deforestation, frequent droughts and in support of the Great Green Wall the UK public and match funding the climate crisis are making this even [2], an African-led initiative to grow from the UK Government, TREE harder. an 8,000-kilometre natural wonder, AID raised more than £600,000. which will span the Sahel from This money will help to fund the Clearing land for agriculture and in the west to in the She Grows project in the Koulikoro cutting trees to sell as firewood is very east. region of Mali, a landlocked country common as it is a ready source of cash in . Earlier this year, in a country with few employment Trees provide nutrition, generate TREE AID began work on the three- opportunities. But this is having a income and help to create a healthy year project, the aim of which is to devastating effect on the land, and environment. Trees are essential to the support one thousand women with the people who depend on that land. survival of people in these areas. That the tools and training they need to And while it is women and their is why, since 1987, TREE AID has save and replant their local forest, and households that rely on forests for been supporting people in the Sahel earn a sustainable income from trees. income, food and firewood, those same women are prevented from Above, left to right: Sitan is one of the women Why Koulikoro? managing the few trees that remain. in Koulikoro, Mali, who is taking part in TREE While planning the She Grows AID’s She Grows project; Through the She Grows project, TREE AID is supporting women in project, TREE AID’s team in Mali Sitan’s story Koulikoro, Mali, to grow and protect trees. visited the Koulikoro region, one of Sitan is one of the women who is Photos: TREE AID. the world’s poorest places. Speaking taking part in the project. She lives www.reforestingscotland.org ISSUE 62 Reforesting Scotland AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 p37 Letter from… Mali

in Ouolodo with her husband and learns how to grow trees to protect the training and tools she needs to children. Every year, she struggles to her fragile environment and keep the propagate her own seedlings, meaning find enough food during the rainy soil fertile, the positive effects are felt the women can choose which trees season to feed her family. by the whole community. would be most beneficial to them and their families, and giving them the “When things are in short supply”, The Covid crisis ability to grow more seedlings in the she says, “there is no one to turn to The She Grows project got underway future. This is an approach that TREE and there is nowhere to go. I therefore in February 2020, kicking off AID has found to be particularly try to do what I can with limited with a baseline survey to measure effective in helping communities feel resources.” participants’ living standards before ownership of the seedlings they plant. the project began, Training and workshops will teach the including indicators women the practical skills required like household to regenerate the land and plant and income, use of trees care for trees. These sessions will also and forests and help to empower women’s groups to women’s decision- negotiate with local authorities and making powers. secure long-term access to land and Conducting a trees. thorough baseline survey is vital to being As with the baseline surveys, project able to effectively staff are adapting the way they measure the impact will conduct these sessions due of the project on to coronavirus. In the past, some beneficiaries’ lives. workshops would involve the whole community at once. Now, with social Covid-19 was declared distancing measures in place, project a pandemic on 11 staff will work their way more slowly March 2020, just as through communities to deliver the baseline study training in smaller groups. Although was getting underway. This meant this will take longer, it will allow Engrained gender inequality in Mali that TREE AID was able to adapt the sessions to be more engaging makes things particularly difficult the survey to include a ten-minute and provide the women with more for women like Sitan. They have less section providing participants with opportunities to ask questions. access to healthcare, education and essential information on Covid-19. The Village Tree Enterprise groups jobs. Sitan knows first-hand how In rural communities in Mali, will be trained in key business the inability to manage the trees and knowledge on coronavirus is low, activities such as planning, financial the land that women depend on is and misinformation can spread literacy, business registration and holding her back. “Women have the easily. During the baseline surveys, market information gathering to help biggest responsibility of the family. TREE AID staff used the time to them market their produce and fetch But they don’t have access to the explain and answer any questions a good price at market. means of production. If there is a the communities had on the virus, lack of rain before the harvests, the including information on how it TREE AID will also provide women women and children are those who spreads, who is most vulnerable, with the tools they need to make suffer the most.” and what hygiene and social shea butter, harvest honey and earn distancing measures communities can an income together as a group. The And that is where the She Grows implement to prevent its spread. tools will help them process tree project is making a difference, by products more efficiently and improve supporting women with the training Women from ten cooperatives in the quality of produce, helping to and access to the equipment they the region have been encouraged to increase their income. need with which to earn an income form smaller Village Tree Enterprise from trees and grow a way out of groups. In these groups, women work treeaid.org.uk poverty. By empowering women to together to process tree products, gain financial independence through such as producing shea butter from References the project, they will increase their shea nuts which they then sell at 1. unccd.int/ ability to support their children and market. Profits are shared equally 2. treeaid.org.uk/great-green-wall/ their status in the home. When a between the cooperative members and woman can earn an income from they support each other financially by Alice Flannery is TREE AID’s trees, she is able to send her children running saving and loans schemes. Digital Communications Assistant, to school and help lift her family out supporting the organisation’s digital of poverty. What’s more, when she What’s next? communications including social media As I write in June 2020, the rainy and film production. To find out more Above: The She Grows project is supporting season has started and communities about the project, visit: treeaid.org.uk/ women in Koulikoro, Mali, to set up enterprise will shortly begin planting 5,000 tree shegrows. groups and process shea nuts into shea butter to seedlings. Each woman is being given sell and generate an income. Photo: TREE AID. p38 ISSUE 62 Reforesting Scotland AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 www.reforestingscotland.org