Elderly Kenyan Entrepreneurs Preserve Forests & Livelihoods

August 15, 2018 by Shanna Edberg

The Theraka Green Gold Group, made up of women over the age of 60, is a group of Kenyan entrepreneurs who weave baskets and harvest baobab and tamarind fruits to make juice. These income-generating activities have replaced the practice of making and selling charcoal, which deforests the area and degrades the local environment. The planting of reeds to make baskets also helps keep soil erosion at bay. Their businesses have helped these elderly women gain financial independence and provide for their families and grandchildren.

• Climate Protection: Sequesters CO₂ from planting reeds and reducing deforestation
• Resilience: Reduces erosion
• Jobs & Assets: Provides livelihoods
• Health, Well-Being, & Safety: Reduces air pollution from making charcoal
• Connection: Brings the community together in managing their natural resources