Niger, a land-locked country covered by the Sahara Desert, has been hit extremely hard by the climate crisis. Frequent and extreme droughts and floods significantly impact the soil, crop production, and availability of drinkable water. With a population of around 20 million, 84% of people live in under-resourced rural areas, and more than 50% lack access to safe drinking water. Additionally, 50% of children under five years old are chronically undernourished. Border closures, sanctions, and limited aid due to the recent coup will lead to increased food prices and decreased food accessibility for a population already struggling with food insecurity. 

One Day’s Wages is partnering with Rain for the Sahel and Sahara to empower and train 95 women from historically marginalized ethnic groups to manage garden plots and fruit trees at three community gardens. These women will not only learn environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, they will also learn how to turn subsistence agriculture into profitable enterprises. In addition, 75 fruit-bearing trees will be planted at the community gardens in order to improve food security, diversify local food sources, and improve soil quality.