Jamie Smith

In the US, there is a heightened sense that the rules of our political and economic system seem
broken, and that our legacies of racism and colonialism are connected to that. But what do
these issues look like from the perspective of storytellers around the globe, namely Groundswell International’s partner organizations in Africa, the Americas and South Asia?

Groundswell works to address big-picture challenges by starting locally. To do so, we try to stay
grounded in the insights, wisdom and priorities of our partner organizations and the
communities they work with. Over the last six months I’ve made it a point to interview leaders
from each of our partner organizations, to listen more deeply to their stories.

How are they experiencing and responding to these tumultuous times? How should we respond and support
them? Although I know it to be true, I’ve been struck by the common threads that interconnect us, regardless of our geography. Yet, the complicated circumstances of our geography often impact how we experience global themes.

For example, the forces of political power and decision making are too often
disconnected from the practical and economic needs of communities. This is true in cases of
outright government dysfunction and corruption, but also often where the political rules may
look pretty good on paper. Of course, the marginalized indigenous and farming communities
we work with have long faced painful histories of oppression and exclusion.

The work of Groundswell and our partner organizations starts with recognizing that, and with approaches
developed by local leaders over decades to reverse those dynamics. We seek to recreate
healthier connections, linking the power of people and communities to meet their priority
needs and generate real solutions from the ground up.

Here are some excerpts from a few these conversations, with more to come:

Bern Guri, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), Ghana

“The law we are trying to avoid has been passed, and this law is a so-called plant variety
protection law… which says that if a farmer acquires seed from these seed breeders, you are
not allowed to select it. It criminalizes local farmers. Culturally, (selecting and sharing seed) is
what we do. To even share the seed with other farmers or other family and people around, if
you do that you are liable to go to jail …

I would like to see a country in which we have established systems that help communities
organize themselves and take charge of their own affairs to be able to decide what they want
to do and have that alternative to do that. …. For me, the … thing that keeps me moving is this
concept of endogenous development, which we at CIKOD have been trying to promote…
(We also) talk about intergenerational learning. How do we transfer our knowledge to the
younger generation?”

Ross Mary Borja, EkoRural, Ecuador

“We have a constitution that strongly supports “pluri-nationalism.” … According to the
constitution indigenous peoples … should be included in these decisions. But in practice this
hasn’t occurred.

The neoliberal sectors of our country have followed policies of the IMF and InterAmerican
Development Bank (IDB)… For example the government doesn’t focus on campesino family
farming … there is no real budget dedicated to smallholder production.
There is a massive migration of young people from rural areas… I believe we need to return our
focus to training community leaders … supporting new processes that allow communities to
respond to these new challenges.

Agroecology has been a space for development for women. For example … women’s
associations started working with household vegetable gardens … which strengthened their
organizations. Agroecology created space for them to pursue larger changes. Agroecology
allows them to have better health … and is a space to link with other women. It has allowed
them to engage with markets, not only customary markets where there is little space
differentiate or negotiate for what they do. Women have become actors spreading this to their
farms and communities….

I believe success for us means resilient communities, that can take their own decisions … (For
people) to express their identity and pride in being farmers … with all the pride of what I am
doing.

We know that we share common interests in a more just and sustainable world. This is larger
dream that Groundswell and the member organizations share and are working towards.”

Cantave Jean-Baptiste, Partnership for Local Development (PDL), Haiti

“If you remember the system in South Africa, Apartheid, we knew some kind of Apartheid in
Haiti, but at a different level. Because even when you are in the countryside, the remote areas
in the mountains, there are small cities, big cities, and also there is the question of the color of
people. I have suffered this situation. When I came from my rural community to go to school in
even in this very small city, I (was) treated like moun andeyò (“outside people” or peasants).

… PDL is progressively building organic community organizations … build(ing) the capacity of
those organization … In spite of the difficulties, we have to look for ways to scale up what we
are currently doing and also to highlight those initiatives inspired from our (community)
education process…

We are Haitians in Haiti, and each one (of us) can contribute to changing the world by changing
things where we are.

And we (also) have to learn from good examples … and I think Groundswell is playing and can
continue to play a very key role in sharing good examples (and) lessons from many different
countries.

I remember there was an African president … who said while other people are trying to go to
the moon, we are trying to go to the village … Let those people go to the moon. For us, let us
go to the village.”

The Next Chapter of Stories

I’m continuing to listen to the stories of our partners to work to understand their realities, challenges, and opportunities and how Groundswell can continue to evolve to support them. But, the stories don’t stop, or start, there. In 2022, we will be sharing stories from a very important group of people – youth. What do struggles look like to those coming of age in difficult times? What perspectives are being shaped? What can we do to help them not only survive their circumstances but being to shape them into a future where they can thrive?

If you want to be a part of this very important storytelling work, you can do that here.

Groundswell International and our partner on the ground in Nepal, the Baudh Bahunipati Project Pariwar (BBP-Pariwar), have been able to work with women from the Dalit caste living in the remote areas of the Kavre, Ramechhap, and Sindhupalchowk districts of Central Nepal thanks to a grant provided by the Hapke Family Foundation and other support. 

Our Work in Nepal

Our work supports some of the most marginalized women in Nepal. The situation in rural Nepal is especially difficult for women from the Dalit caste due to centuries of culturally instilled gender inequality and discrimination. These women farmers have limited access to education and health services and cannot obtain credit to invest in productive enterprises that would improve their families’ food security, incomes, nutrition, and overall well-being. This reinforces their marginalization and inequality, and turns their lives into a seemingly hopeless downward spiral. 

The pandemic has led to more isolation and marginalization, and deeply impacted their ability to meet basic needs. The program we have developed is needed now more than ever.

To counter this disempowering reality, we foster a constructive environment in which women may analyze their situation, identify existing problems, examine the various alternatives to overcome these problems, and then choose, plan, and implement the best solutions. This approach empowers women to become the protagonists of their own development long after the program ends. Moreover, by training women in ecological agriculture techniques and giving them access to capital and livestock, we help them to achieve greater control over the

productivity of their farms, develop new ways to earn much-needed income, and improve their families’ nutrition.

Results: Year 1

Over the past 18 months, our Nepal program overcame the challenges brought on by the pandemic to achieve incredible results. We attribute this to the resilience of the women we support and to the strong foundation of trust and forward momentum that Groundswell and BBP Pariwar have established with the women’s groups over many years of close collaboration.

Our monitoring and evaluation system follows the calendar year. Below we present the cumulative results (since we launched our current 5-year program plan) we have achieved through June 30, 2021, along with an analysis of where this progress puts the Nepal program relative to the targets we set for the year:

• Established new savings and credit (S&C) groups and strengthened existing groups to improve women’s access to capital for productive enterprises and other priority needs. Though these groups are formed initially to improve women’s access to capital, they become vehicles to improve their overall wellbeing. In a very short time, S&C groups develop strong leadership, establish internal rules and regulations, and build considerable capacity for collective action beyond mobilizing and managing funds. They also allow for very efficient training on agroecology and livestock management, as well as learning and support between members. Creating strong local groups that can work together to achieve common goals is a fundamental step toward the Nepal program’s purpose of empowering women to lead the development of their families and communities. Women’s groups suspended meetings for several months, and when they began to meet again, they implemented precautions to keep their members safe. As of June 30, 2021, we are working with 30 S&C groups with 674 members. Eight new groups have been created so far in 2021. Collectively, all 30 S&C groups have accumulated $17,334 worth of savings. We are pleased to report that we have already surpassed our 2021 targets of 27 S&C groups and 625 members.
• Taught ecological farming and small animal husbandry techniques to women farmers to ensure they can produce abundant supplies of nutritious food, earn more income, and make their farms more fertile and resilient. So far in 2021, 29 women have joined the 569 women already participating in the agroecology training to bring our total so far is 2021 to 598 women. This increase through Q2 brings our total to about 96% of our 2021 cumulative target. Additionally, we have already achieved 100% of our target of organizing 6 farmer-to-farmer exchange visits on relevant ecological agriculture concepts and techniques. Most importantly, the improved farming practices these women are learning will result in a direct impact on increased food security, which we will measure at the end of the year.
• Purchased and distributed goats to members of the S&C groups and facilitated the distribution of offspring from goats provided by Groundswell in previous years. Between 2018 and 2020, BBP Pariwar staff and paravets distributed goats and provided training on small livestock management to 368 women, enabling them to incorporate small livestock into their farm production systems. So far in 2021, 33 more women have been trained, bringing the cumulative total to 401 women, or almost 95% of the cumulative total we set for 2021. This benefits family nutrition through the increased availability of animal-based protein and also helps address the steady decline in soil fertility, which like access to capital is a key constraint to food security and incomes.
• Provided intensive support to help women orient some of their production to local markets, through training and appropriate technologies, such as low tunnels and on-farm water harvesting with ponds and tanks to extend the growing season, provide pest and disease protection, reduce water consumption and mitigate climate variability. We organized fewer workshops and cross-visits than normal because of the pandemic, but staff still provided accompaniment to ensure women entrepreneurs developed the knowledge and skills they need to add value to products and to successfully run their small enterprises. So far in 2021, 4 women have successfully created a small business with our support. We set a modest goal of 6 women for 2021 because of the constraints of the pandemic. Nevertheless, we have achieved nearly 94% of our cumulative target of 33 women business owners.
• In January 2021, Groundswell and BBP Pariwar began piloting a new strategy, called a Rotating Buffalo Fund, which has the potential to increase the incomes of participating households by as much as $900/year. This is more than double the income of many of these farm households, which currently survive on less than $2/day. In 2020, we researched and successfully experimented with making one-time, larger investments in select households through a Rotating Buffalo Fund, and this year are implementing a full-scale pilot to validate this approach. The key elements of this strategy are outlined below:
  • No-interest loan: Participating households receive no-interest loans for the value of a milking buffalo. The loan term is 2 years, which is the time necessary for milk sales to repay the loan.
  • Livestock insurance: Each buffalo is insured against loss. The program pays half of the insurance in the form of a grant, and the participating households pay the other half. This guarantees they are fully bought into the survival of the buffaloes.
  • Nutrition: 10% of the milk from each buffalo is allotted for household consumption, which experience has shown is enough to satisfy the families’ demand for milk. Buffalo milk has a dramatic positive impact on household nutrition, especially children.
  • Proceeds of milk sales: 90% of the milk is sold to a milk cooperative, which records the volume. The cooperative distributes 30% of the proceeds to the buffalo owners and 70% to the Rotating Buffalo Fund until the original low amount is paid back.
  • Repayment: The milk sales typically allow the family to repay the no-interest loan after just two years. Once a loan is paid off, 100% of the profit goes to the family. o Reinvestment: Once the Rotating Buffalo Fund has been capitalized enough from loan payments, another buffalo is purchased, and the program is expanded to a new household.

The Impact of COVID-19 in Nepal

In April and May 2021, the surge in the COVID-19 pandemic that was impacting India spilled into Nepal, resulting in a catastrophic spike in COVID- related deaths and illness. The affected households were cut off from markets and many family members were sickened by the virus. 

The Hapke Family Foundation and other funders generously responded to our emergency call for support to address the immediate needs of those who were most affected. We used this money to buy and distribute food and sanitation supplies, including rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, soap, and clean towels. In all, 565 households (2,926 individuals) belonging to 22 S&C groups received emergency support. The families that received support are detailed in the table below. Groundswell and BBP Pariwar will use any remaining funds to distribute goats to the most affected families.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted our ability to implement activities because both staff and participants had to maintain strict social distancing precautions to slow the spread of the disease. This was especially limiting in the initial stages of the pandemic. However, as time went on, we adapted to the new reality and developed protocols that allowed us to safely implement many program activities. Despite the pandemic, we are well on our way to achieving most of the targets we set for 2021.

The difficulties of the last year reaffirmed that organized groups are more resilient than individual households. This lesson is not new, yet it is important. Organized groups enjoy much greater success in gaining support from government agencies and can provide mutual aid during difficult times. The S&C groups that the Foundation has helped us to create were able to effectively appeal to the Nepalese government agencies to acquire support to help them through the pandemic. They also helped each other when one household could not meet its needs. Individual households are not able to obtain this sort of support from the government, and they find it difficult to weather shocks of all kinds all on their own.

Continuing Our Work

With the Hapke Family Foundation grant, Groundswell and BBP Pariwar will continue working with current households, expand our support to new villages and households, and cultivate a working relationship with a second Nepalese grassroots organization.

By: Rene Lucero, Guest Writer

Cebu is an island province in the central part of the Philippines that hosts the country’s second-biggest city, Cebu City. Agriculture is one of the main economic activities on the island, along with fisheries, industry, and tourism. Being a major tourist destination, Cebu suffered so much from the COVID-19 pandemic. The first COVID-19 case in the country was an international traveler who entered Cebu.

The first lockdown that was enforced in March 2020 shocked everyone. All of a sudden, people lost their jobs and sources of livelihood. Those who were working in the city, the epicenter of the pandemic, had to return to their provincial homes together with their families.

Barangay Tabayag is an upland barangay in the municipality of Argao located in southeastern Cebu. By road network, the village is located 77 kilometers from Cebu City. Farming is the main source of income for the community. The lockdown required that “all work will have to stop and everyone will be required to stay inside their house 24 hours a day except for essential services.” Quarantine passes were issued to one designated person per household to do what is essential, e.g., buy food and other necessities.

Sudden loss of income

The women farmers of Barangay Tabayag shared stories of their experiences during the lockdown. The sudden loss of mobility due to the lockdown affected the lives of farming families in many ways. They could no longer take their farm produce to the town market and immediately lost their source of income. For the same reason, they could not buy their regular household needs from the market to take home. When quarantine passes were issued, the men managed to go to the town market found out that the market entry was regulated by the government. They felt that it was unlikely that they could sell their products inside.

Surviving the lockdown with home-grown food

Many farming families in Tabayag have children who have moved to the city or other places to work. Now jobless, they returned to their parents’ home together with their families. With increased household size, there was more pressure to secure food. “We were lucky, we just harvested our yellow corn (not normally eaten by people but given to animals). My son and his family, including the young children, were forced to eat yellow corn and sweet potato from the farm,” said Terry a mother of four and grandmother of five. Lisa said, “my children who came home from the city did not bring any groceries. We had ampalaya (bitter gourd) from the farm. That was all they ate.”

Innovating local markets

Virgie and Elsa had sons who worked as international seafarers but returned home jobless due to the pandemic. Independently, the two came up with the same idea of securing travel passes, buying vegetables locally, and selling them in the neighboring villages using their multi-cab (small multiple-use vehicle). Later, they engaged in online marketing using Facebook and delivered vegetables door-to-door. This helped the local farmers market their farm produce, thereby enabling the farmers’ livelihood to thrive despite the pandemic. Subsequently, they also procured goods from the town that the upland villages needed such as dried fish, sugar, salt, cooking oil, bath soap, and laundry detergent. Their sales were higher when families received cash assistance from the government.

Despite more work that the Tabayag women had to do during the lockdown, such as teaching children and grandchildren in their remote education, cooking more food, and washing more clothes due to more household members, they still managed to do their usual farm work. Terry shared that she had 10 pigs ready for sale when the pork price dropped due to low demand in the public market. She decided to go around the village and ask her neighbors if they want to buy pork. Amazed by the number of orders, she decided to slaughter her pigs locally and sell them locally. Earlier, her husband and her children discouraged her from raising pigs thinking they could not make money from it. With this new marketing strategy, she continues to raise pigs.

What would be more helpful to women farmers 

A remote village, Barangay Tabayag did not have an internet connection in the past. Due to the pandemic, schools were closed, and classes were done remotely using the internet. The teachers from the village had to find ways to get an internet connection to keep their jobs. When they succeeded, the farming families made use of internet connectivity for marketing their farm produce.

The women farmers believe they are better off if they know how to use social media – like Facebook – to access information, to maintain communication with family members and relatives in other places, and to engage in online marketing. However, the internet is only available in a few houses in the barangay and most women still do not have smartphones. They also believe the ability to drive a motorcycle would be empowering and would make their life easier.

Lessons and recommendations for local food security and markets

It took the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown to demonstrate to us that growing our own food is essential if we want to survive on a family level. It also teaches us that a global crisis can break down wider economic networks and that a way for communities to survive is by reinforcing and strengthening local markets.

Rural Women Farmers Association of Ghana 

This tribute piece is a guest post from her sons, Denis Banuoku and Daniel Banuoku. We at Groundswell are grateful for Rebecca’s work over her lifetime and her family’s continued commitment to honor her legacy.

Mrs. Rebecca Sabri was a gentle and warm soul. And that warmth radiated and touched many who had the opportunity to interact with her. Perpetually a mother to all, her arms and home were open to receive so many people in her lifetime. A very brilliant woman that oozed wisdom, She was a trail blazer and change leader in several ways. The fact that she could attain such gender defying achievements in a conservative and very patriarchal environment, as Lawra in Ghana’s Upper West Region presents, is indeed in itself remarkable. As a mother and teacher, her convictions about the importance of education (especially of the girl child) and its relevance to transform families and communities were resolute. It was therefore not surprising to find her deeply involved in various capacities (as a teacher, an Assistant Director of Education, and later District Director of non-formal education) for the execution and implementation of educational activities and educational reform policies for rural folk.

Knowing the need for women to be represented at the decision-making table, Madam Rebecca became a political activist. Through her works and activities with the 31^st December Women’s Movement, she gave voice to and championed rural women empowerment. Her works were noted at the national level. In fact, this culminated in her nomination to be appointed to the office of District Chief Executive (the highest political and administrative office of the district) of Lawra – making her the first woman to be ever nominated by her “boyfriend” Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, President of Ghana, for that role in the Upper West Region. She eventually failed to occupy this position as the population did not appear to have been ready for a female political leadership. 

Regardless of her failure to occupy the high political office of a District Chief Executive, Madam Rebecca was relentless at using every opportunity offered to her to champion the empowerment of women and girls particularly from poor and needy backgrounds. When she was appointed a member of the steering committee of the “We are the Solution” Campaign with the overall objective to equip rural women with skills and tools to ensure that their voices are heard and concerns are addressed to effectively participate alongside Africa’s large farmer federations in the Alliance for Sovereignty for Africa, Madam Rebecca demonstrated her acceptance to this high office by personally walking the talk. She began by mobilizing 10 women from her home village, Tanchara, to initiate village level advocacy work to deepen and spread agro-ecological solutions for sustainable food systems. Later that same year, out of her desire to rapidly drive and build a critical mass of women working to promote good agricultural practices and knowledge that have been known and handed down for generations in Africa and have sustained food sovereignty on the continent, Madam Rebecca was aggressive at pushing the frontiers of her 10 member women’s organization into the Lawra and Nandom Municipalities to form the Rural Women Farmers Association of Ghana (RUWFAG).  She worked to provide capacity support for members of the organization with hopes of expanding the geographical scope of RUWFAG. Her passion for women empowerment and a just and inclusive world, gave birth to a women’s organization that is working to promote the quality of life of thousands of women in rural and urban Ghana. 

“I had the privilege and honor of being able to interact with madam Rebecca  on a number of occasions while visiting the CIKOD team in Ghana, in her role as a wise and committed community leader and founding leader of the Rural Women’s Farmers Association of Ghana (RUWFAG).  In addition to being a wonderful mother, she was in fact an important local leader contributing to vital national and global women’s and agroecology movements to create a better world.”  

Steve Brescia. – Executive Director, Groundswell International