Women Leading the Fight Against Climate Change

In Malawi, climate change is not a distant threat, it’s a daily struggle for many families and especially for women in Malawi. Seasons are no longer predictable. Rains delay, crops fail, rivers dry up, and families go hungry. But women like Stella Samuel are taking big steps to address the situation. 

Over the years, Stella, a farmer and mother from Njunga Village in Ntcheu, has seen her harvests shrink. In 2024, climate change-induced floods took lives. This year, drought ruined crops. 

"We are at war with climate change. We must fight back," says Stella. 

In the past, Stella’s family used to harvest over 15 oxcarts full of maize, enough to eat and sell. This year, the family only managed three oxcarts. 

“Some families got just two bags,” she says. 

Through the Global EverGreening Alliance’s Restore Africa (RESAf) Programme, Stella acquired knowledge of how to heal the land through agroforestry. She further received 60 trees from the project and bought an additional 71 in total, planting 131 trees around her home and farm. 

"This isn’t just about trees, it’s about our children’s future. Trees restore soil, retain water, and attract rain, securing food and water for my family,” she says. 

Mphatso Jailosi, leader of the Njunga 1 Nursery Club, says he is happy to see women taking steps to address climate change. The Njunga 1 Nursery Club, made up of 9 women and 11 men, has managed to plant 3,374 trees since December 2024. 

"Women have an important role to play in addressing adverse weather conditions, just like the way they take charge to look after families,” says Jailosi. 

Restore Africa is targeting over 56,000 households and 77,000 children across all traditional authorities in Ntcheu. The project, which runs for 30 years, is implemented by the Global EverGreening Alliance through Catholic Relief Services.