The cooperative president in CREATE!’s new partner community Walo, shown her with her daughter, is excited to begin participating in CREATE! programs.
During the holiday season in the United States, many enjoy spending time with family and friends. Family is also an important component of life in Senegal. Women in CREATE!’s agricultural cooperatives are not just farmers, but also mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts.
Families in Senegal typically live in walled compounds, with several generations all living together. Generally, each couple lives with their children in one room or hut within the compound. Women share many household duties, such as cooking, cleaning, gathering water and firewood, and caring for children. While working in CREATE!’s gardens, many cooperative members bring their children with them.
Because many women in Senegal lack formal education, they appreciate the economic opportunities available through participation in CREATE! programs.
CREATE!’s programs bring many benefits for families in our partner communities. By participating in agricultural cooperatives, women produce fresh fruit and vegetables that improve their diets and those of their children. In addition, women are able to sell extra vegetables in local markets to bring in extra money for their households.
CREATE!’s improved cookstoves also improve health and safety within compounds in our partner communities. Improved cookstoves enclose cook fires so children cannot get accidentally burned. In addition, cookstoves produce much less smoke than traditional open cook fires, protecting families from harmful soot and carbon monoxide. Women in our partner communities appreciate the many benefits to their families that participation in CREATE! programs provide.
With her CREATE! improved cookstoves, this woman no longer has to worry about her toddler falling into an open cook fire. The clay-sand exterior of the stove remains cool even when the stove is in use.
From all of us at CREATE!, we wish you and your family a joyous Christmas and a happy Hanukkah!