Habi's story
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Meet Habi
Habi lives in Mali, a country where gender inequality is a major issue. She said, "Women don’t decide on anything. We are the ones who are most involved in taking care of the children, but we can’t make any of the decisions that concern them."
But Habi is one of the one thousand women that will be supported to improve her income, through Tree Aid's She Grows project.
Before the project
“I have very little time to work in my field. Like the other women in the village, I don’t have access to good soil and I have difficulty getting seeds in time.
Men prioritise their fields and us women get access to the ploughing equipment very late. We are late to sow in our fields and by the time our crops reach maturity, the rains have nearly dried up.”
And the impacts of the climate crisis are making things even harder. "During my childhood, the fields produced better. I can see that the environment has changed a lot."
“If what I earned was enough for mine and my children’s needs, I would be very happy. But the money I earn is barely enough to care for my children. My responsibilities are big and my income is weak."
How the project will help
Talking about her lack of income, Habi said, “We lack the means and techniques of production. We lack almost everything." And that is where Tree Aid will help.
Through the She Grows project, we will support Habi with the tools and training she needs to grow her own business. She will learn how to process and market tree products like shea butter. With her own income, she will gain financial independence, and with it improve her status in her household, and the community.
