Planting New Opportunities for Women

In the small village of Ndiongolor, Senegal, many women once felt unsure of their ability to grow more than just enough food for their families. Producing crops that they could sell at a market for income seemed out of reach—an ambition overshadowed by a lack of confidence and training.
That all began to change when World Renew’s local partner, ELS, introduced a new initiative: village savings and loan associations (VSLAs). These associations give women a powerful tool to help them take control of their financial future.
By contributing to a shared savings pool, members can access low-interest loans for personal and business needs. But the real catalyst for change comes in the training sessions that accompany VSLA meetings—those sessions focus on income-generating skills that can open new doors.
Marie, a VSLA member, became very excited about these training opportunities. She participated in a course on market gardening, where she learned a multitude of best practices, such as composting, mulching to avoid water stagnation, and even creating environmentally safe biopesticides to protect her crops.
Marie put her new knowledge to work, and the results were remarkable. Her once modest garden blossomed into a vital source of nourishment and income.
“I use market gardening to feed myself and my family,” Marie said. “This program changed my life.”
One particular crop that Marie learned about was cassia italica, a medicinal plant used to treat infections. This crop is in high demand, even attracting customers from abroad. Growing and selling cassia italica is now giving Marie and her family a steady source of bonus income.
Marie is pleased that she can now afford to purchase school supplies and medicine for her children and that she is helping her family become income secure. She is also helping her community to thrive; she has trained 30 women in market gardening, sharing the knowledge that has helped to transform her own life.
“Agriculture remains a very important activity in the community,” Marie said. “We’ve seen nothing but positive changes as a result of this program.”