How Dow is Helping To Advance Sustainability and Address Gender Inequities in Kenya

Our reason for investing in a sustainable future is simple – to support the people in our communities.

Dow’s All IN ERG Fund continues to contribute to the promotion of sustainability and the resolution of gender disparities in Kenya.

A sustainable world is one where people – no matter who they are or where they live – have access to the resources they need to thrive today and for future generations. Today, we’re not quite there yet. In communities around the globe, gender inequities remain a cultural norm – and a barrier to a sustainable future. What can we do to change that? Like our partners at Fikia Dada, a rescue center for women and young girls in Kenya, we believe that one route is empowering women.

THE CHALLENGE

In Kenya, young women from rural communities can face challenges like forced marriages, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual abuse and early pregnancies.

What can we do to help these women not just be safe, but thrive and contribute to a more sustainable future for their community?

A common barrier to addressing these inequities is often a lack of access to education. And the reality is that some of the communities with the most significant challenges possess the fewest resources to help, to educate and to equip their residents with the skills needed to be safe and adopt more environmentally and financially sustainable lifestyles.

THE SOLUTION

Fikia Dada, meaning “Reach a Girl,” is a non-profit organization in Kiambu County, Kenya, that provides housing to those young women dealing with forced marriages, gender-based violence, FGM, sexual abuse and early pregnancies. At Fikia Dada, women have a safe space to heal, raise their children and prepare for a future where they can find security through financial independence.

Through Dow’s ALL IN ERG fund, a fund that empowers employee resource group participants to address local inclusion, diversity and equity needs, Fikia Dada received funding from our Company to establish a brand-new route to independence – a demonstration farm where the center’s residents and community members learn the technical skills needed to grow and harvest sustainable crops, helping address food insecurity and, ultimately, empower them to be able to support themselves financially.

THE RESULTS

The impact of our contributions extends beyond the construction of the demonstration farm. Fikia Dada was also able to update the facility’s equipment, support maintenance costs, and assist with helping residents gain access to health insurance.

As for the residents, they learned the necessary skills to develop their own small-scale farming operations back in their hometowns. Through their training, they have helped produce various crops for use at Fikia Dada, including cabbage, carrots, spinach, coriander, green pepper and kale.

Team Dow was also able to help further sustainable agriculture practices at the farm by introducing black soldier fly (BSF), which consumes sanitation and agricultural waste and turns it into organic manure, helping ensure soil fertility. The center also uses the BSF larvae as protein-rich chicken feed.

Our reason for investing in a sustainable future is simple – to support the people in our communities. Through their incredible grassroots work, we can help advance long-term positive change.