TechnoServe’s work with people fighting poverty around the world is full of striking stories and images. Each month, we share a few of our favorite photos from the everyday beauty of our clients’ journeys towards better incomes and better futures.
Vote for your favorite below.
Photo 1
Olekile lives in a town formed around the Jwaneng diamond mine, which is considered the richest in the world in terms of its content of gem-quality diamonds. But as diamond reserves in Botswana dwindle, the country’s entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly leading role in creating new jobs and diversifying the economy. Through the Tokafala program, an Anglo America-TechnoServe collaboration, entrepreneurs like Olekile are developing the business, financial management, and marketing skills they need to build successful and sustainable enterprises.
RELATED BLOG POST: Overcoming Disability and Building a Thriving Business: The Inspiring Story of Olekile Mekodi in Botswana
Photo 2
Rwanda‘s coffee industry has been rapidly growing in recent years, providing a promising source of income for the country’s rural population. However, the average age of a coffee farmer in Rwanda is 51 years old, and attracting younger generations to the industry has become a challenge. To address this issue, TechnoServe has partnered with agricultural higher learning institutions to provide training provided by the Coffee Quality Institute to Rwandan youth like Dismas Nsegiyaremye and Yvonne Kurujyishuli in coffee processing, equipping them with practical knowledge and skills for employment opportunities in the sector.
RELATED BLOG POST: How Do Coffee Processors in East Africa Bring Your Favorite Coffee From Crop to Cup? Part 2: Washing Stations
Photo 3
After using TechnoServe’s Gender Responsive Diagnostic (GRD) tool, Zenny Mumba and Ackim Wamundila identified several gender-related challenges within their company, Wachi Milling. Once they were aware of these hurdles, they continued to work with TechnoServe [through the Food Enterprises for a Developed Zambia (FED Zambia) program to solve them. Wachi Milling committed to developing and implementing a worker safety and harassment policy, to provide separate toilet and shower facilities for men and women staff, and keep sex-disaggregated supplier records.
RELATED BLOG POST: A Power Couple in Zambia Empowers Women Through Business
Whether it’s equipping entrepreneurs with business and financial management skills through the Tokafala program in Botswana, providing training to the younger generation in Rwanda’s coffee industry, or empowering women through business in Zambia, TechnoServe continues to make a significant impact on the lives of the people it serves. These stories are a testament to the dedication and hard work of TechnoServe’s staff, partners, and clients, and a reminder of the power of collective action to change lives for the better.
Will you make a difference in the lives of hardworking people around the world?
