Meet the seaweed farmers of Zanzibar. These women are pioneers in a profitable industry, which was previously dominated by men. They’ve used their profits to support their community and uplift women and girls in Zanzibar’s society. Now, that all could change. If they can’t adapt to the very real impacts of climate change, this $8 million industry, and these women’s livelihoods, are at risk.  But these women aren’t giving up. How these women broke barriers Seaweed farming began in Zanzibar in the 1980s...
Dr. Irene Titilola Olumese is a doctor from Ibadan, Nigeria who is weighing in on what action can be taken to help persons with disabilities in Nigeria and beyond.  I started my professional career as a nutrition scientist with UNICEF, advocating for women and children to gain access to adequate nutrition in Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt. But I was forced to give up my job due to chronic respiratory problems, and I later had both of my legs amputated due...
Earlier this month, we celebrated International Women’s Day, where we highlighted a few women from around the world who are tackling the pandemic and working to end COVID-19. From inventors to leaders of major world organizations, these women have made strides in the fight against the pandemic. But we also want to hear from you, our global supporters. We asked you to tell us in a few words about the amazing women in your lives who have inspired you through...
Women around the world are working hard every day to fight the pandemic. From fighting food insecurity in their communities and inventing crucial tools to fight the pandemic, to using their positions of power to demand change, they’re working to make 2022 the year we end the pandemic. That’s why on this International Women’s Day, we want to introduce you to a few of them. Keep reading to find out! Nomonde Kweza, or “Mama Nomonde” In South Africa, Nomonde Kweza, also known...
Empowering the girls of today can create a better future for everyone, and that’s exactly what Techno Girl is trying to do. Working in collaboration with UNICEF South Africa, Techno Girl is a South African program that supports girls who are interested in pursuing careers in math, science, and technology. The program selects high school girls from disadvantaged communities to take part in mentorships, skills development workshops, and job shadowing in the STEM field. “Being part of Techno Girl and...
In Cape Town, the team at the Women’s Legal Centre are champions of women’s rights and staunch defenders of women when they’re at their most vulnerable. They are at the forefront of changing South Africa’s legal landscape. And as South Africa’s only African feminist law centre for women’s rights, they are making huge strides, especially for black women. “We call it ‘feminist activist lawyering,’” Seehaam Samaai, the centre’s director, said. “It’s very important for us to ensure that the courts,...
To see a brighter future, young activists know that they can’t wait until tomorrow to start changing the world. Action has to happen now. In South Africa specifically, seven young girls are doing just that. Through education, climate action, and action against gender-based violence, these girls prove no one is too young to start changing the world. On this International Day of the Girl, here’s a closer look at their activism. On empowering girls through education The afternoon sun shines brightly on...
Sparrow Society’s warehouse opens onto a street, south of the rush of downtown Cape Town, overlooking Muizenberg Mountain. It’s just blocks away from the sea. The chattering of sewing machines accompanies the buzz of women working behind the shop, which sells 100% responsibly made, female-farmed coffee and African-inspired home goods and apparel. The afternoon light shines through the front windows, lighting the hands of women cutting, sewing, stitching, and packing. “Just like the sparrow bird of our namesake, women are often...
Rasna Warah is a Kenyan writer and journalist who is working with the ONE Campaign’s COVID-19 Aftershocks project. Tanzania’s new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is slowly reversing the COVID-19 policies of her predecessor, the late John Magufuli, who infamously declared that the coronavirus had been defeated in the country. He banned the publication of official data and reports on the disease, even as doctors privately reported a rise in the number of patients with COVID symptoms dying in hospitals. Despite being...
Rasna Warah is a Kenyan writer and journalist who is working with the ONE Campaign’s COVID-19 Aftershocks project. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a “shadow pandemic” across the globe: domestic violence cases have risen dramatically since pandemic-induced lockdowns and school closures last year, and women and girls are at greater risk of sexual abuse. According to a UN Women report, reports of domestic violence increased by 30% in France in the first few weeks of the start of the pandemic. In...