She Grows

She Grows was a three-year project supporting women in Mali to strengthen their livelihoods. More than 1,000 women gained the tools, training, secure access to trees, and business skills they needed — along with vital links to local markets.

Today, they are transforming tree products like fruit and nuts into nutritious food and thriving enterprises that generate steady income for their families.

Read the Impact Report

34%

reduction in the
proportion of households
below the poverty line

171%

increase in
average household income

26%

increase in women in
leadership positions in
resource management

Why this project matters

In Mali’s drylands, the climate crisis is making it harder for rural families to grow food and earn an income — and women are feeling the strain most. Many rely on what they can grow on small plots of land, yet rising temperatures, poor soil, and unpredictable rains are cutting deeply into the harvests they depend on.

At the same time, women often have the least access to healthcare, education, and paid work. Many are also excluded from decisions about the trees and land that sustain their families. Despite these challenges, women carry immense knowledge and resilience — and with the right support, they are leading powerful change across their communities.

Our Aims

The project aimed to improve the economic and social status of 1,000 women living in ten villages by:

Securing long term access to forest resources through establishing women’s cooperatives, changing attitudes of men, and signing land rights agreements.
Supporting women in the cooperatives to adopt and implement effective and sustainable land management practices.
Supporting women to establish 40 profitable enterprises using forest resources.