Environmental stewardship

Every mother has the right to safe childbirth in a clean, well-lit facility. In Malawi, unreliable electricity in rural health centres compromises this every day. We Care Solar’s ‘Light Every Birth’ initiative is designed to meet the critical needs of maternal health workers in remote facilities, ensuring that every delivery room is well-lit, safeguarding the lives of mothers and their health providers.

In collaboration with Malawi’s Ministry of Health, We Care Solar is lighting up maternity wards across Malawi, installing ‘Solar Suitcases’, training women technicians to lead solar installations, and engaging midwives for optimal use of the technology.

Light Every Birth is set to transform healthcare for mothers and newborns across Malawi, granting health workers the ability to perform safely and confidently in well-lit facilities. We are proud to partner with We Care Solar to light a path to a safer, healthier future for mothers and their children in Malawi. Learn more about We Care Solar’s Light Every Birth initiative at their website.

Photo credit: We Care Solar.

In the densely populated informal settlements of Kenya and Zambia, where reliable access to water and power is a challenge, toilets are critically scarce. Without proper sanitation facilities, diarrheal diseases spread, students are deterred from attending school, and women and girls face risks leaving their homes after dark. Together with local communities, Fresh Life is expanding its network of innovative toilets in Nairobi, Kenya, and Lusaka, Zambia.

Fresh Life Toilets are installed by young locals employed by Fresh Life, and become shared facilities that are managed and maintained by local residents as small enterprises. Designed to operate without water or power, the toilets use a container-based dry technology to ensure that waste is securely contained, collected, transported, and treated & disposed of. Led by community need, Fresh Life Toilets are operating in residential areas, busy market centres and schools to improve hygiene and safety, resulting in higher school attendance rates. For more details about Fresh Life’s impactful work and technology, visit their website.

Investing in Zambia’s small-scale farmers and wildlife conservation with COMACO

Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) creates partnerships with smallholder farmers across Zambia, combining conservation and sustainable farming practices to improve livelihoods and enhance their resilience against future shocks.

COMACO’s model incorporates agroforestry and market incentives, allowing for higher farming yields without chemical inputs and improving the capacity of farming cooperatives. This feeds into the production of COMACO’s ‘It’s Wild!’ food products, promoting nutrition and economic sustainability.

As a result, incomes are on the rise, food and nutrition security is improving, and wildlife is being revived in the Luangwa Valley and around Kafue National Park, marking a stride toward a sustainable future for Zambia’s communities and their environment. Learn more about COMACO’s work by visiting their website.

Photo Credit: Comaco

The Akashinga, which means ‘The Brave Ones’ in Shona, are a remarkable team of women wildlife rangers. They protect nature conservation areas across 9 million acres in Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania.

Akashinga began in Zimbabwe with a group of just 16 women, all survivors of assault or impacted by AIDS or HIV. Through the organisation’s investment in local infrastructure and social impact, the lives of the Akashinga women have been transformed. Additionally, their communities have experienced significant improvements in healthcare, education, access to clean water, and sustainable employment opportunities.

The Akashinga rangers are changing perceptions of women in conservation, proving time and time again that women can and should lead in the protection of nature and wildlife. If you would like to learn more, please visit their website.