Irvingia Programme
The gathering and sale of non-wood forest products is an age old and the most long term sustainable activity in communities that live adjacent to forests. Non-timber forest products play an important role in income and employment generation, food security, health and women/youth empowerment. Unfortunately, the sector is plagued by a number of factors; Large quantities of non-timber forest products wasted during deforestation; Women/youths who are the main gatherers have limited access to processing technologies, marketing strategies and market information as a result, they are sold ‘raw’ or without any form of processing at very cheap prices.
Objective
To develop value chains for non-wood forest products in Cameroon
To empower women/youths from forest adjacent communities (forestpreneurs, green business wo/men)
To ensure healthy environment for all to thrive
Project
1. Conservation education
We set out every year to raising awareness on the true value of forests that is beyond timber. Our programs (meet the people talks, posters, radio & TV talks, social media) reached an average of 50,000 people annually.
2. Women empowerment
We train women to add value to/process forest products
3.Sustainable Menstruation Project
We also run a Sustainable Menstruation Project that trains women tailors on the production of cloth pads who then establish cloth pad production businesses. We also reach out to women/girls with information on menstrual hygiene and puberty and donate reusable cloth pads.
