Maathai program, Women for Africa foundation

The Women for Africa foundation has commissioned to Novadays and cambiaMO | changing MObility the preparation of the proposal “Maathai Program: African women’s commitment for an equitable and resilient technological and business ecosystem” to be presented within the framework of the European Union Fund of Trust for fighting against the root causes of irregular migration in Africa. In this context, the project aims to promote research and innovation by African women from the North of Africa and Sahel Region in technology transfer in the sectors of sustainable development, agriculture and business management. In this context, women become the key agents for the resilience of their territories when natural disasters happen. The proposed program offers a period of staying for North African and Sahelian women researchers at various European institutes within a research-exchange program for applied research (Ellas investigan) and the business program for the technological and social entrepreneurship training (Ellas enprenden).  Both programs for research and business development will reinforce the virtuous circle of women’s empowerment, improving the conditions in which they care for their own families and communities, and local economic development. The Spanish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (AECID) will promote the “Maathai program”, which will be carried out in collaboration with the team of the Women for Africa Foundation, whose objective is to contribute to promoting the appropriation of new technologies, their transfer and implementation by women to make their countries and communities more resilient.

cambiaMO through its co-director Floridea and within its action area of equity, health and gender, has mainly developed the proposal for the “Maathai Program” providing the key ideas for developing the activities to carry out, as well as for building indicators to measure, the results of the Maathai program.