Looking back on 2021
We won 2nd place at the bridge-it award “Partnerships and Crises”!
December 17, 2021
Save the date! January 27: Online event on our current project
January 6, 2022Women empowerment for participation and leadership in value chain addition
Looking back on our project for climate resilient communities in 2021, we celebrate the continuation of YSD's work in rural communities. The workshops focused on indigenous crops and value chain addition. This year, special attention was paid to women empowerment. Project leaders were one man and one women from each of the communities who received special trainings to coordinate the activities. YSD Malawi team members happily reported that female participation went up compared to last projects, with women taking active and leading roles throughout the process. At the same time, men got the opportunity to participate in food preparation, traditionally a women's task.
Indigenous crops are endangered and project fosters re-appreciation
In interviews after the first workshops, YSD Malawi team members got to know that about 60 indigenous crop species exist in the communities, most of which are not currently used and many of which, alarmingly, are disappearing. Farmers also repeatedly shared their notion that indigenous crops would not be fit for climate change. These interviews informed the workshop plans, so that all issues identified in the survey were addressed during the workshops, with demonstration sides set up in all communities. The impact of the project could already be seen, as community members started using indigenous vegetables and fruits in their diets. Some surprises were included in the project, for example that the indigenous crop Chidede is starting to be used again in the communities as herb to reduce high blood pressure. Workshop participants are proactive and already started looking for ways to share with surrounding communities.
Adaptive project design allowed us to learn a lot
One of our big learnings this year was the success of the flexible project approach based on research: first asking for issues, demands concerns, knowledge in the communities and then building the following workshops based on this survey.
We are reflecting on our partnership together
During this year we embarked on a process of reflection, guided by coach specialized in anti-racism in South-North partnerships. With this we give ourselves the space and time to think about our partnership and
The radio and TV-series got an award!
The radio- and TV series produced by YSD informs about climate resilience and the pandemic within the global context. In December we scored the second place at the bridge-it award for “Partnerships and Crises”!
Looking ahead...
In the future we want to continue to work together and to reflect on our partnership to find common ways to navigate along global power structures in a changing climate. We are also going to focus on making all project communities self-reliant, resilient communities ready to face the challenges of climate change and other crises and spreading knowledge and empowerment to others.
Looking back on our project for climate resilient communities in 2021, we celebrate the continuation of YSD's work in rural communities. The workshops focused on indigenous crops and value chain addition. This year, special attention was paid to women empowerment. Project leaders were one man and one women from each of the communities who received special trainings to coordinate the activities. YSD Malawi team members happily reported that female participation went up compared to last projects, with women taking active and leading roles throughout the process. At the same time, men got the opportunity to participate in food preparation, traditionally a women's task.
Indigenous crops are endangered and project fosters re-appreciation
In interviews after the first workshops, YSD Malawi team members got to know that about 60 indigenous crop species exist in the communities, most of which are not currently used and many of which, alarmingly, are disappearing. Farmers also repeatedly shared their notion that indigenous crops would not be fit for climate change. These interviews informed the workshop plans, so that all issues identified in the survey were addressed during the workshops, with demonstration sides set up in all communities. The impact of the project could already be seen, as community members started using indigenous vegetables and fruits in their diets. Some surprises were included in the project, for example that the indigenous crop Chidede is starting to be used again in the communities as herb to reduce high blood pressure. Workshop participants are proactive and already started looking for ways to share with surrounding communities.
Adaptive project design allowed us to learn a lot
One of our big learnings this year was the success of the flexible project approach based on research: first asking for issues, demands concerns, knowledge in the communities and then building the following workshops based on this survey.
We are reflecting on our partnership together
During this year we embarked on a process of reflection, guided by coach specialized in anti-racism in South-North partnerships. With this we give ourselves the space and time to think about our partnership and
The radio and TV-series got an award!
The radio- and TV series produced by YSD informs about climate resilience and the pandemic within the global context. In December we scored the second place at the bridge-it award for “Partnerships and Crises”!
Looking ahead...
In the future we want to continue to work together and to reflect on our partnership to find common ways to navigate along global power structures in a changing climate. We are also going to focus on making all project communities self-reliant, resilient communities ready to face the challenges of climate change and other crises and spreading knowledge and empowerment to others.
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