About Africa Development Promise

At Africa Development Promise, we believe that collective action and enterprise are proven pathways for empowering rural women achieve their economic goals. In fragile rural economies, small, single-owned enterprises tend to fail because the individual cannot bear to take the risk alone. This is especially true for women who also lack access to inputs, training, credit and markets that they need to gain social and economic independence.

With programs in Rwanda and Uganda, Africa Development Promise, begins with agriculture because it is a way of life in Eastern Africa, and over 70 percent of the rural women rely on subsistence farming for food security and employment. We find that building on knowledge leads to success which becomes a stepping stone for further success that generates confidence and momentum. Furthermore, as East Africa’s increases agricultural investments and moves toward market based approaches, we want to ensure that women farmers are poised to take advantage of new value chain opportunities.

Africa Development Promise moves women farmers from food for subsistence to food for business using the cooperative model of enterprise. To promote economic empowerment we have adopted a multi-faceted approach to address the concerns of women farmers. Chief among them is access to sustainable and affordable water and electricity.

Our Values

Partnership

We welcome local citizen and stakeholder participation and build on local knowledge.

Equality and Inclusion

We address and promote gender, ethnic and other forms of equity and inclusion.

Sustainability

We measure our impact in terms of long-term economic gains.

Integrity

We interact with each other, our donors and the communities we serve in a way that is honest, ethical and fair, and stay accountable for our actions.

Why we do what we do:

1

Rural women are usually the poorest of the poor. They often cannot own land, have little to no access to credit, lack education and are most susceptible to climate change.

2

Seventy percent of rural women practice rain-fed and subsistence farming because they have little to no access to government-provided extension services, equipment and inputs that are important for ensuring good crop yields.

3

Governments focus their training and funds on farmers who grow cash crops such as coffee, cotton, tea and tobacco — and these are primarily male farmers.

4

Rural women work more, and longer hours compared to men, because besides subsistence farming they have household responsibilities such as preparing food, collecting fuelwood and water, taking care of children and sick relatives thus forcing them to stay closer to home.

5

Studies show that when a woman earns an income, she spends 90% on her family.

6

Studies also show that cooperative enterprises are more likely to succeed because members pool their resources and share in the risks and rewards. Single owned enterprises tend to fail because an individual cannot afford to take risks in fragile, rural economies.

7

As East Africa transitions to a market-based approach in agriculture ADP wants to ensure that rural women are well positioned to be key players.

Show Your Support for the women of Rwanda and Uganda