Africa

TechnoServe Fellow Naila Farouk on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Supporting Women in Coffee

Naila Farouk recently completed a TechnoServe fellowship in Burundi, where she created a global marketing survey to collect data on Burundian coffee. In honor of International Women’s Day, Naila shared her fellowship experience, discussed women who have inspired her, and highlighted some of the structural barriers women face.

Agriculture,  Coffee,  Gender Equality,  Women's Economic Empowerment
Fellows Program

In Ethiopia, Better Farm Practices Help Coffee Farmers Prosper

Eight years ago, Fedila Hussein and Mustafa Tesfaye struggled to earn a living from coffee. Their coffee trees were old and were not producing enough to cover the living expenses of their family of six. After participating in a TechnoServe program, Fedila and Mustafa learned important techniques to improve their coffee yields. Today, their farm is flourishing, and they have seen a 23-fold increase in their coffee production.

Agriculture,  Coffee
Entrepreneur Virginie Adounon owns two hair salons in Bohicon, Benin.

In Benin, Hairdressing Offers New Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs

When Virginie Adounon first opened her beauty salon in Bohicon, Benin, she was not keeping track of her sales or giving herself a salary, and she could not save up enough money to make necessary upgrades to her shop. After joining a TechnoServe program called BeniBiz, she gained the skills she needed to run a profitable business.

Entrepreneurship,  Women's Economic Empowerment
Small and Growing Businesses,  Small business,  Women entrepreneurs,  Women's Economic Empowerment