Stories

Anagonou Hounzavi started with a dream two years ago, and thanks to planning, hard work, and a training program through THP, he has built a successful chicken farm starting with just six chicks in 2007. He is now expanding into rabbit breeding while supporting his family and proudly continues to train others on chicken farming.

After Yabré Belemgnégré participated in THP-Burkina workshops, she learned that development requires preparedness including a vision, a commitment and due actions. Yabré says, “If anything has to be done in our villages, it will have to be initiated and sustained by us, the local population, first and above all.”

Mukama Hajira has seen her enterprising efforts grow since joining THP in 2003, and she is now putting her children through school, diversifying her income and chairing the Village Loan Committee.

Lola Bellido’s rise as a community leader began with developing her own core self-esteem. Now, she helps other women cultivate their own leadership.

Caetano Malhaule is the President of Chokwe Epicenter Committee and is at the center of improving his community. He has mobilized other members of the community to fix the irrigation system at the epicenter.

A natural leader, Pene Diarra has been critical to improving access to medical services at Dahra Epicenter. She leads a large women’s organization and set up a health mutual in her community.

Evelin Acuna is an indigenous leader that believes that training, education and information about indigenous rights strengthens her community and enhances self-esteem.

Raquel Hernández has learned that leadership begins by liberating oneself. She is now mobilizing her community to earn income for a community savings fund to improve their health clinic.

Hosne Ara Asma, known as Asma, has been a THP animator in Bangladesh since 1997. After taking part in THP’s special women leaders’ training, she now regularly arranges courtyard meetings on issues such as sanitation, early marriage, nutrition and gender equality. In cooperation with other animators, Asma also runs three adult education centers.

Khusboon Khatoon, was a child bride at 12 years of age. She was widowed early. Following her participation in The Hunger Project’s Women’s Leadership Workshop, Khusboon gained the courage to take on domestic violence cases in her community and train other women about their rights.

Gadisa Arado has worked to tackle corruption and HIV/AIDS and to promote credit and savings, income-generating activities, environmental sanitation and compost preparation in his community.

Gilberto Orozco, a local high school teacher, has been volunteering with The Hunger Project since 2005. He has a commitment to humanity, which he demonstrates by actively training new volunteers.

Shilpi Akter created an informal education program for 50 women and men. They have learned to read and regularly discuss gender-related issues in the community.

Linda Asantewa is a living example of how The Hunger Project’s work is impacting the lives of village women, especially, and empowering them to play key leadership roles in their communities.

Through the African Woman Food Farmer Initiative, Messe Chauque has increased farm production and now earns enough money to send her children to school.

B. Rani Devaraj works with economically disadvantaged communities to create better learning environments and improve local sanitation.

Traditional doctor, Nelly Marcos Manrique, participated in several training programs, which gave her insight into positive changes she could make for her community.

This volume documents the path breaking strides being taken by 118 elected women representatives across the country in ensuring that children attend school, that their villages are equipped with adequate health facilities and that all sections of the population are aware of and can access government schemes.

This publication is a compilation of the profiles of 51 women leaders who represent the one million elected women leaders in Panchayats who struggle every day to change the development agenda of their villages.

In Bangladesh, the training of local activists, called “animators,” is key to all of our activities. Animator trainings are highly empowering, inspiring, and motivational training programs.

Fátima Filimonecossa, 55, from Mozambique, shares how the epicenter’s adult literacy program has helped her achieve something she never thought possible.

Dianda Noaga of Boulkon Epicenter in Burkina-Faso shares how several training in new technologies have helped his family save money and stay food secure.

Sehari Ledi, a member of Enemore Epicenter in Ethiopia, shares how water projects have provided access to safe drinking water and alleviated the worry and fear that comes with fetching water from the river.

Clémentine, one of the girls who has dropped out of school in Zakpota Epicenter and has instead been involved in literacy classes for three months, shares her experience.

Shadrack Asante Akwei, a farmer, was trained in leadership and mobilization at Adomfe Epicenter in Ghana and went on to start an oil-palm and cocoa nursery project to generate funds for community development projects. Read his story.

Horace Mwembere joined the epicenter community in Malawi and learned modern farming techniques to better support his family. Read his story.

Read how THP-Bangladesh trained animators and women leaders helped the people of the small remote village of Milemari band together and advocate for the construction of a much-needed road.

Mzee Erick Kafuruma is 74 years old, a retired soldier and agriculturalist. He is very passionate about change in the community and had always looked for ways to inspire people to work hard, adapt to change and show progress in the community.

Rakiéta Ouédraogo, a member of Boulkon Epicenter in Burkina Faso, shares her experience of how the installation of the water borehole at the epicenter significantly changed her life.