CARE and Mars’ Women for Change program works with women and their families in cocoa-growing communities to improve livelihoods so that communities can thrive. The program started in Côte d’Ivoire in 2016, founded on CARE’s Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) approach. The program aims to increase gender equity in households and communities, while supporting increased savings, improved skills, income growth and diversification, improved school enrollment rates and increased nutrition. The program also works to shift social norms and reduce gender-based violence by engaging men to encourage joint saving and decision-making. This innovative approach uses a smart mix of solutions to reinforce women’s role in the cocoa supply chain.
In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024), Feed the Future Sugu Yiriwa directly reached 146,156 market actors (55.17% women). FtF Sugu Yiriwa contributed to the increased access of 25,763 small-scale farmers and market actors (52% women) to productive economic resources. Read More
Women’s Voice and Leadership in public life and decision-making is an essential component of CARE’s Gender Equality Impact Area Strategy and a priority area under CARE’s 2030 vision. This capacity statement outlines CARE's approach to increasing Women's Voice, and strengthening Women's leadership through standalone and integrated programming. Read More
A storybook capturing the transformative impact of Hamzari on the lives of its participants. Read More