Inspiring voices of change
The difference your donations make
When women and girls are empowered to claim their rights, they can become economically independent and have the confidence to take on leadership roles - and entire communities benefit.
This guiding principle lies at the heart of ActionAid's work around the world, and we are so grateful that your support makes this work possible.
We hope you enjoy reading these amazing stories from Bangladesh to Mozambique, Ethiopia to Vietnam, which have been made possible thanks to the skills, commitment and determination of the inspirational women we work in partnership with.
Thank you for your partnership with these incredible women in helping them to transform their communities today, tomorrow and long into the future.
In Bangladesh
Women are challenging deep-seated, patriarchal norms
"Greetings from Bangladesh. My name is Sahanaz and I live with my husband and our four children.
"I married when I was young, and we went to live with my husband’s family. The patriarchal culture was so intense that my husband, Jahangir, was also affected: neither of us were allowed to make any decisions for ourselves and my husband gave most of his earnings to his parents.
My journey of change began when ActionAid established a community health clinic, which not only provided healthcare services for women, it was also a safe space for us to meet.
"During these meetings, we discussed our rights and created a women’s savings group with over 200 members. We also joined a tailoring training course, as we identified this as a good way to earn a living.
"Feeling empowered from my newfound skills and confidence, I persuaded my husband to be part of ActionAid’s activities and he realised how much of our lives had been tied down by patriarchy.
"As a result of this, we moved into our own home where we can make our own decisions.
"I want to make sure my children grow up to be educated people, so they can also contribute to social development and continue to challenge patriarchy."
In Brazil
Families have been supported through the pandemic to grow food
"Hi, I’m Herica. I’m 39 years old and live with my husband and our three children in Minas Gerai, a region that borders Rio de Janeiro state.
"In Brazil, the pandemic took us all by surprise. We thought it would last a month or two, but now it’s been going on for more than two years.
"We needed to go out to buy food, but we were afraid of getting infected; it was a scary time.
"ActionAid supported families impacted by the pandemic by providing us with information about how to stay safe, learning materials for our children, and seeds so we could grow our own food.
"Growing our own ginger, saffron, watercress, herbs, tomatoes, beans, onions, chicory, cabbage, cucumber and spinach meant we were able to avoid going shopping as often. It also helped reduce our contact with other people and reduce our risk of infection.
"We also involved our children in the projects to grow our own food - it’s an education for them. It’s good for them to have responsibility and it’s important because they grow up knowing where their food comes from and how to grow it themselves.
We have used the seeds provided by ActionAid in our garden as a place to not only grow our own food, but to also learn new skills together – thank you!
Herica and her daughters Gabriely and Marcela have used seeds provided by ActionAid to learn how to grow their own vegetables during the pandemic.
In Burundi
Emergency support is helping women to rebuild their lives
"My husband left me over nine years ago, so I’ve been raising my boys on my own," says 38-year-old Virginie, a mother of three boys from Burundi.
"I provide for them through my farming activities. I grow beans, maize, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. It’s been tough doing all this on my own, but I am determined to make sure my boys go to school.
"But recently, we faced a major setback. My house was damaged by heavy winds and rain. Our home lost its roof. It really was a scary time for us because we lost almost everything we had in the house.
"After losing the roof, my children and I moved into the shed where we keep our goats. My children stopped going to school because they had lost all their books.
"With ActionAid’s support, we have been able to rebuild our life.
"My roof has been replaced and my children received new schoolbooks. Now the roof is fixed, we are back in our home, and my children are back in school. I feel safe again."
In Ethiopia
New business skills are transforming lives
"Hello from Ethiopia. My name is Debre and I’m a divorced mother of four children.
"Being divorced, the responsibility to provide for my family is always on my shoulders. I used to sell local drinks to make a living, but it was never enough to fulfil my family's basic needs and I was not able to cover my children's educational costs.
"I took loans from lenders to make ends meet, but with a high interest rate and insufficient income for family life, I was working just to pay the interest. I was frustrated and stressed.
"I heard about ActionAid from other women, who told me that their lives had been transformed by joining the Saving and Credit Cooperative. I joined the cooperative and took part in the business skills training that was available.
Using my new business skills, I am now selling cereal at the local market and am making a profit. With the increase in my income, I am repaying my loan and still have enough money to cover my family’s needs. Also, my children are attending school again.
"I thank ActionAid for supporting me to make long-lasting changes to mine and my children’s lives."
In Ghana
Future leaders are finding their voice
"My name is Asana, I’m 17 years old and I live in Ghana. In my community, girls are treated very differently to boys.
"Boys are raised to be assertive and bold, whereas us girls are raised to be timid and shy. We were seen to have no power to make or contribute to decisions, even decisions that affect our own lives.
"It wasn’t until I joined the Young Female Parliament (YFP), which is supported by ActionAid at my school, that I learned I had choices."
ActionAid has developed this initiative, Young Female Parliament, involving girls and young women.
We support the formation of these parliaments in the schools we work with across Ghana. Participants learn about leadership, public speaking and confidence building.
Women from the local government are also providing a mentoring programme to inspire and support the development of female leadership.
On International Women’s Day, we discussed gender equality and I appreciated the need for women to rise up and challenge issues that affect our lives. One of the ways to do this is to have the confidence to take up key positions so we can contribute to our futures.
"The YFP meetings have taught me a lot about confidence building. I’m now able to express myself and have seen an improvement in my relationship with my mum. I’m able to talk to her about menstrual health, something we never spoke about before.
"I have seen a lot of positive changes in my life because of YFP. I can say that I have become my true self.
"I found the confidence to stand for a leadership position in school, which I’d never have done before. Thank you for helping me find my voice."
In Guatemala
Fish cooperatives are transforming women’s lives
"Cardamom is the main crop here - almost all of us depend on it for our income. But the price has dropped, and so has our household income," Dominga, a married mother of four children, told us.
"I am part of a women’s group formed by ActionAid. During meetings, we discussed the problem of our incomes, and decided we could utilise the water coming down from the mountain to make fishponds.
ActionAid helped us to create a fish cooperative, so we could earn our own income. They provided us with the materials we needed to build and set up the fishponds and the community donated their time and labour.
"Our cooperative has 40 women, and we all received training on how to keep the fish. We take turns to take care of the fish, feed them and clean the pools, and we share the profits.
"Us women are now more confident and we participate in discussions within our community. The success of the group means that we each earn an income from the fish, and our families are benefiting from eating nutritious fresh fish.
"We are proud that we are managing our own fish cooperative and earning our own income. Thank you for your part in our journey."
In Haiti
Cooperatives are supporting rural communities
"Hello, my name is Calite, and I live in a rural area of Haiti with my two daughters and my dad.
"My children’s father left us when my youngest daughter was still a baby. When he left, I had no income and no way of taking care of my children. My dad took care of all three of us.
"Although I was sad when he left, it was also a relief because it meant the end of his insults. I am so grateful to my dad for looking after us. I wanted to start my own business to pay our own way, but the banks are only in the cities.
ActionAid supported the women in my community by helping us form a savings and credit cooperative. We learned how to keep records and manage the savings and loans for each woman.
"I enrolled as a member and obtained a 3,000 gourdes [£22] loan. I started by buying chickens to raise and sell when they matured. The profits from these sales allowed me to buy piglets. This proved to be profitable because they sell for 5,000 gourdes [£37] each.
"I am so happy now because we have enough money to buy food and I can take care of my dad, who no longer has the energy to work.
"This loan programme made me smile again!"
In India
Indigenous seeds have made comeback, improving incomes
"My husband and I work on a small plot of land that our livelihood depends on. Despite our hard work, we have not been able to produce as much as we have previously, which has impacted our ability to earn enough income," says Tulsi, a married mother of three children.
"In desperation, we started using hybrid seeds as we were told they would produce more; we also began using pesticides in the hope of increasing our crop production, but they didn’t. We incurred huge financial losses and were compelled to borrow money from private lenders at exorbitant rates.
I joined the ActionAid women’s group and began attending the meetings, where I learned about the benefits of using indigenous seeds, which grow better in our soil and with our climate. I was eager to learn how to farm more sustainably and more profitably.
"With the help of ActionAid, we have been able to acquire government funding for the procurement of the seeds and storage facilities.
"I am pleased to share that the harvest of rice and wheat exceeded our family's needs after using the indigenous seeds.
"We deposited excess grains in a seed bank to preserve the seeds for future farming seasons and we sell the seeds to others at a very low price through our seed bank.
"Thank you for equipping us with these new skills, which are transforming our lives not just with seeds, but with our newly found confidence."
In Kenya
More women and girls are finishing their education
"Hello, my name is Christine and I’m a mother of two children.
"My life began to change when ActionAid approached me to join their Education Challenge Programme, which was for young women like me who had not completed their education.
"Through the project, I enrolled at a catch-up centre where I learnt numeracy, literacy and life skills.
I wanted to learn hairdressing, so ActionAid supported my place on a hair and beauty course and helped me secure a place in a salon to gain real life experience.
"Today, I am happy as I’ve opened my own salon! I’m using the education I gained at the catch-up centre, training course and through work experience.
"For the first time, I’m saving Ksh 1,500 [£10.47] per week and putting food on the table for me and my children. I am confident that my life has changed forever!"
In Malawi
Women’s groups are supporting girls to get an education
"When the Covid-19 pandemic closed my school, it was difficult to comprehend what the future held for me. With no lessons to go to I, along with my friends, got involved with boys," says 15-year-old Debbie*.
"My dream of becoming a nurse faded when I realised I was pregnant. I was the talk of my community, and I didn’t feel able to return to school when it reopened.
"It is tradition here in Malawi to live with your partner’s family when you are pregnant. However, my mother is part of an ActionAid supported women’s group where they have discussed this very situation.
"The group provided my parents with support and helped work out a way for me to return to school after the birth of my baby.
"I am grateful that my parents did not send me to my boyfriend’s family and that they have agreed to take care of my daughter while I return to school.
"My friends and teachers have supported me, so I don’t feel out of place thanks to the work of the women’s group at our school about the rights to education for girls.
"I am looking forward to completing my education and fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse in my community."
*Name has been changed to protect identity
In Mozambique
Girls’ club are supporting girls to complete their education
"My parents work hard on their farm every day, and eventually they decided I needed to stop my education to help them on the farm. I missed school for three years, and I began to lose hope for my future," 15-year-old Judite says.
"But when ActionAid began holding workshops in my village, attitudes towards education for girls began to change. My parents are now prioritising my education over farm work, and I am back in school.
"I was also invited to join the girls’ club which is supported by ActionAid.
This is a safe space for girls to learn about our bodies, sexual health, and our rights.
"The girls’ club also provided us girls with skills training, so when we do leave school, we have an alternative to farming, I chose sewing. I am already making my own clothes, which is helping save my parents money too.
"All of this has changed my outlook for my future; I now love to study and have no intention of giving up.
"I know that when I leave school, I’ll be able to follow my dream to become a fashion designer with the sewing skills that I’ve learned and continue to build on!"
In Nepal
Youth networks are creating future community leaders
"Greetings from Nepal! My name is Bhumi, I’m 23 years old and I live with my parents. I am part of an ActionAid supported youth group, which meets on a regular basis. It’s our safe space where we can learn skills such as leadership and public speaking.
"During the Covid-19 pandemic, our group took a lead role in distributing food items and Covid-19 care kits in the community. We shared information and did demonstrations of proper handwashing techniques.
"We also conducted a campaign about mask wearing. During the campaign, we distributed masks to everyone and explained the benefits of wearing one.
"Many people from my community travel to other places in search of work, so during the pandemic there was a lot of anxiety when people were returning home as it could increase the risk of the virus spreading.
"But our group helped people to manage this situation and engaged in the Covid-19 prevention activities.
"By working together as a group, ActionAid encouraged us to participate in finding solutions, which we put into action during this pandemic.
"With the skills learned from the ActionAid workshops, and the experience and networks that we have built during this crisis, we feel equipped to tackle anything now!"
In Nigeria
Parents and teachers are working together to ensure girls go to school
"My name is Kulu and I’m 65 years old. The patriarchal nature of my community here in Nigeria deprived me of my education.
"For a very long time education for girls was seen as a waste of time - we stayed at home to help our parents while the boys went to school. As this belief was entrenched in us, women went along with it and our own girls were married young, ending their education.
"In our local school, there was not one girl enrolled. But this is changing.
With ActionAid’s support, we have been changing opinions about educating girls, and over time, girls started to attend lessons.
"However, our school had been neglected by the government; the furniture was broken, the roof leaked, and it was in a poor state of repair. Teachers didn’t stay very long, and this started to impact attendance numbers.
"I am now a member of a school management committee, which ActionAid supported us to form.
"We’ve made advocacy visits to the Ministry of Education to request the renovation of our school. As a result of our hard work, the school was renovated, new furniture provided, the leaky roof replaced, doors and windows repaired, and the school was repainted.
"Today, our school has the highest number of girls it has ever recorded in its history!
"I am determined that no girl in my community will be uneducated.
"When girls are educated, I believe it will bring development to the community. The girls are on the path to achieve their dreams and are working their way out of poverty."
In Sierra Leone
Women are working to end gender-based violence
"I am a member of a mother’s club in our community, which ActionAid helped us to form. This is a space where we feel safe to discuss the issues and challenges we face as women," says 42-year-old Isatu, a mother of three children from Sierra Leone.
"We also received training on our rights, including our right to live a life free of violence.
Women in my community were afraid to challenge any gender-based violence, as the legal system is very male dominated. If cases were reported, they received very little attention.
"During our group meetings, we learned about the referral pathway with the family support unit of the local police, which enabled women and girls to report cases of violence in confidence.
"Knowing this, our group was determined to support this pathway by establishing a neighbourhood watch group to ensure women and men knew this system existed, to provide support to women to report cases of violence, and to monitor cases.
"Already this is having an impact and using the referral pathways has led to prosecutions and is helping to protect women and girls from violence."
In Tanzania
Fewer girls are missing school when they have their period
"My name is Husna, I am 16 years old. The toilets at my school were shared with the boys. There were no locks on the doors so anyone could disturb you. This meant that during my period, I chose to stay at home. I missed up to seven days of lessons every month.
"I’m a member of the girls’ club in my school, which ActionAid supports. This is a safe space where us girls can discuss the challenges we face.
"At one of our weekly meetings, we discussed the toilets and how many lessons we were missing as a result of staying at home because of them. We then raised this issue with the School Management Committee.
With the support of ActionAid, we now have a girl’s room and new toilets. It has changed us! No girl wants to miss school because of her period.
"Some of us experience abdominal pain during our period, so having a room where we can rest for a few hours instead of going home is great.
"The room has sanitary pads available to all the girls. It also supports girls who start their periods while they are at school.
"I feel very happy that we now have this menstrual health facility, thanks to the support from ActionAid. Without it, girls would continue missing school during our periods."
In The Gambia
Solar power is providing more than just electricity
"Greetings from The Gambia. My name is Anty and I’m a 45-year-old widow. I live in the upper Nuimi district with my three children. I’m also taking care of my sister’s two children.
"Since my husband passed away, the responsibility to provide for my family has been passed to me.
"I pick nuts from the cashew farm that was established by my husband, but I struggled to cover all our needs, including the cost of the batteries to power our lights.
"Living in a rural community, we do not have access to mains electricity. Instead, we rely on candles and battery powered lights. We have six lamps and I buy three batteries for each lamp, which costs me D270 [£4] a month.
"After three days they start to dim, so my children struggle to finish their schoolwork, and I rely on my friends and neighbours to charge my mobile phone.
"During meetings with ActionAid, we highlighted the need for power to help our children have light in the evenings to do their schoolwork.
With ActionAid’s support, solar panels and a heavy-duty battery were installed. We were also helped with the necessary materials to bring the power into our homes.
"One of the biggest impacts is that my children can continue with their schoolwork in the evenings — they have so much zeal to study.
"There is great hope for this family for the future. I can charge my mobile phone at home now and the solar panels are also saving me D270 per month, which is a lot of money.
"Light is life, so this support has given me and my family life!"
In Uganda
Women are challenging and changing patriarchal norms
"Hello, my name is Ketula and I’m a 70-year-old widow and mother. I inherited the land that I live on over 50 years ago. I have given birth to my children here.
"When my husband died, his relatives decided to evict me and my children from the land that we have lived on peacefully for so long. They employed people to threaten us, and they claimed that I had no right to own or inherit land."
Although Uganda’s land laws grant men and women equal rights to land and other property, application of these laws is often left to community leaders - with inconsistent outcomes, as Ketula experienced.
I was referred to ActionAid by the community Action group who are working to share information about the laws in Uganda protecting women from violence, and issues like land grabbing.
"With ActionAid’s support, a meeting with community leaders, clan leaders, the police and my husband’s relatives was arranged. Thankfully, my case was resolved, and my land was given back to me.
"I am very happy and grateful for this outcome - I know that I have rights including the right to own the land I inherited. Without this knowledge, I would have been a homeless woman."
In Vietnam
Women are finding new ways to combat the impact of climate change
"In recent years, the climate has become more erratic and harsher here in Mekong Delta region of Vietnam," 35-year-old Thu says.
"There have been many thunderstorms and tornadoes that cause seawater to infiltrate into our water supplies and rice fields.
"Seawater is not good for the rice or my animals. The rice withers and dies and my cattle get sick and sometimes they pass away. My family rely on our rice farm for our income. We had to sell two cows to make up for the loss from our rice crops.
ActionAid helped us form a local women’s group where we’ve learned to adapt to climate change and build our resilience to ongoing disasters.
We’ve learned new skills to help us with these new challenges. One of these is how to grow water lilies.
Not only can we sell the water lilies, they also help to remove impurities from the water which can then be used for crops and animals. I collect around 20 to 30 kilos of water lilies twice a week, which I sell for about VND 4000 [14p] per kilo.
"With this support, I have been able to adapt my farming methods to deal with climate change.
"Learning to grow water lilies that naturally filter the water and increase our income is helping the women in my community to earn a sustainable living."
Images: Nazrul Islam; Rumanatu Jibrila; Nancy Vásquez; Elizabeth Richard; John Musila; Takondwa Muyaso; Heldes Vicente & Antonio Viagem; Ramlal Chaudhary; Kemi Akinrem; James Caulker; Maclina Kasunga; Saikou F. Bah; Ben Tukei; Yen Duong; ActionAid.
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