“Now I can send my daughter to university twice a week,” says Hawa Suleiman Youssef, a 50-year-old farmer from El Jana Bara village, west Qalabat locality, about 20 kilometers from Gedaref. In August 2023, Hawa successfully planted 17 acres of farmland and harvested 40 sacks of millet, sesame, and maize. With the proceeds, she built a house and has been able to support her daughter’s education.

“I learned about value chains, and particularly about women’s rights. Previously, my husband confiscated my harvest, but now I can sell my crop to cover my children’s household needs as well as their school and university expenses,” says Karima Yacoub Yahya, another farmer and a member of the Mercy Society in Jana Barra village. Trained on successful farming techniques, Karima planted 10 acres of land and harvested 44 sacks of sesame and maize in 2023. She sold some of the harvest and purchased a tuk-tuk (three-wheeled taxi) for her son, who now supports the family with it.

A Comprehensive Approach

UN Women Sudan is leading the way in enhancing women’s economic empowerment through the WE-RISE project, which targets 270 beneficiaries in the three eastern states of Sudan: Red Sea, Kassala, and Gadarif, with 90 beneficiaries in each state. The project provides targeted support to women like Hawa and Karima, improving their livelihoods and instilling hope for a brighter future. They received farm inputs and training on value chain transformation, marketing, women’s rights, violence against women, and education.

The WE-RISE project, funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by UN Women Sudan and AICS, takes a comprehensive approach focused on farming, livestock, forestry, and marine products. The project also implements strategies such as advocacy, campaigning, and reporting to maximize impact and support women like Karima in achieving their goals.

With enhanced farming skills gained from the project’s comprehensive training, Aida Ismail, a farmer and midwife in Al Safara village, improved her agricultural practices. She produced 19 sacks of sesame and maize on her three-and-a-half acres. The project’s support in land preparation and value chain guidance enabled her to diversify her crops, leading to a more sustainable income. Additionally, Aida’s son benefited from the project as Aida sold some of her produce to purchase a motorcycle, establishing a new source of livelihood for him and the family.

Empowerment and Sustainability

Mona El Shareef Tazora, UN Women Sudan’s Project Manager for the WE-RISE project, says, “The organization’s commitment and dedication to this cause inspire and motivate us all. The project intervention will be exclusively focused on the agricultural sector. As such, water harvesting, basic ICT, and small-local industries are among the basic activities that UN Women will handle and deliver.”

UN Women, in partnership with Eastern state universities and CSOs, focuses on enhancing productive capacities and productivity. The interlinkages between women’s leadership and participation as crucial drivers of women’s economic empowerment must be implemented. A significant responsibility of UN Women is to promote opportunities for economic development for rural women through enhancing the value added to their economic efforts and promoting leadership skills and participation in their communities.