Women-led, One Health Solutions in Tanzania

It’s been a busy fall for the Women’s EARTH Project! On the heels of the One Health workshops in Itonya and Mboliboli last summer, the women of these communities immediately began implementing their group interventions to alleviate local health and environmental challenges. The women focused on four key areas: preventive animal health, water health and conservation, soil health and climate mitigation, and human-wildlife co-existence. To map their progress, the women produced weekly reports in the form of photos and verbal accounts to keep project leaders, Jesca and Eliza (FOECOE Directors), updated on their accomplishments.

There were too many achievements to count, but some of the highlights of the women’s activities this fall included: opening up a One Health store in Itonya; vaccinating over 300 chickens for Newcastle disease; providing education on soil and water health to over 20 households; and building chili pepper fences to promote greater harmony with elephants and other local wildlife. These examples offer a snapshot of the tremendous progress the women have made toward strengthening community resilience in health and conservation. The beauty of the initiative is that all the One Health interventions developed by the women are rooted in nature-based solutions, collaborative innovations, and indigenous knowledge.

The community excitement around the One Health store in Itonya, in particular, has been infectious. As the recognition of the women’s activities have grown, local farmers come to the One Health store as a trusted resource to buy products that promise greater food security and crop production in the face of climate and environmental change. Among the goods available include drought resistant seeds, organic fertilizers, preventive animal health medicines, and chili fence bricks to name a few. The store also serves as an outpost for educational outreach and services in One health, with a growing number of women fulfilling the roles of animal vaccinators, soil and water technicians, and wildlife conflict mitigators. This has been a huge help for local extension officers who are stretched too thin to address the burden of animal health, agriculture, and environmental problems across this region.

In 2023, we intend to build on the successes of the Women’s Earth Project in Itonya and Mbolboli, with the goal of developing a sustainable network of One Health workers comprised of technicians, peer-to-peer educators, and entrepreneurs. With the support of the communities and a growing list of Tanzanian collaborators, we are confident in the path ahead and look forward to extending the program to additional communities in this region in the future. Here’s to exciting 2023!

With immense gratitude to all of our supporters,

Kate and the EVG / FOECOE Team