June 23, 2026

“This helped us to […] improve our lives:” The impact of Femmes en Action

Photo: Caritas Goma

We want you to meet Mwanvuwa Penina, one of the women who actively participates in agricultural activities supported by our ongoing “Femmes en Action” project.

This project aims to support community members — especially women — to become more resilient to climate change, and to contribute to the conservation and restoration of natural spaces. The project also aims to improve food security, sustainable livelihoods, and living conditions for women in the North and South Kivu provinces of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

This project received financial support from Global Affairs Canada, and is implemented in collaboration with Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie and our Congolese partners: Institut Jane Goodall République Démocratique du Congo, Plateforme Diobass au Kivu, Pilier aux Femmes Vulnérables Actives, Caritas Développement Goma, and Coalition des Femmes Leaders pour l’Environnement et le Développement Durable.

Before “Femmes en Action” started, Penina said that she and her four kids “lived in very difficult conditions. Life had become complicated and we lacked several essential things.”

But getting involved with this work meant that she and other women could get seeds, agricultural training, and support to develop farming activities. And for Penina, this was incredibly beneficial.

“We received seeds and advice on how to work the land,” Penina said. “This helped us to start growing vegetables and cabbages to improve our lives.”

Not only did this provide her family with another reliable source of food, but also another way to generate sustainable income: “This work helps us first and foremost to feed our families and protect our health, through the vegetables we grow. Then we can also sell part of the harvest to earn some money.”

Penina is determined to continue working and drawing on the knowledge she has gained through the “Femmes en Action” project.

In addition to helping her family, Penina’s participation and commitment are starting to inspire women throughout her community: “At first, many people just watched what we were doing with a skeptical look. Now, some people come and ask how we work — and want to learn about agriculture, too.”

Penina’s story is far from over. With each harvest, and with each neighbour who stops by to ask how she works the land, her impact grows deeper. This is an important reminder that when women have the opportunity to act and to lead, they don’t just change their own lives – they also transform their communities so they are better positioned to act as partners in conservation.

At the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, we are proud to work with Penina and women just like her — both through the “Femmes en Action” project and our other ongoing projects in countries across Africa.