However, when the first McGovern-Dole Food for Education program came into the area in 2008, it opened the eyes of the community to the vital role women really played in the life of the region.
But in the advent of the 2015 McGovern – Dole Food for Education and Child Literacy program, implemented by Nascent Solutions, the women of the region recognized a champion for their efforts: A champion that recognizes their women-specific challenges, guides them to achieve such priorities as feeding and educating their children, and provides knowledge that helps them manage family incomes. They have also embraced Nascent Solutions and the USDA-funded program for giving them a seat at the table and a voice in making the decisions affecting their communities.
That the management of Nascent Solutions is 70% female, or that our field staff skews majority female is not an attempt at reverse discrimination. It is a simple acknowledgement of the reality that women bear the brunt of the challenges of Africa’s rural communities and that we the women of Nascent, mostly born of the same soil, hear their voices better.
The theme of the 2018 International Women’s Day was “Press for Progress” and Nascent is standing at the forefront of pressing for the progress of women in Africa. So, to our grandmothers and mothers, sisters, daughters and cousins, the Women of Nascent Solutions say “We Hear You!”
Dr. Beatrice Wamey
CEO, Nascent Solutions Inc.