Jane Munyerere is a 35-year- old woman in Malava, Kakamega County. She is a shining example of how training and education in conservation can empower women and improve their lives. Through the training provided by Women in Water and Natural Resources, Jane has been able to learn about environmental conservation and how to establish and maintain a tree nursery. This has allowed her to not only improve the environment, but also her livelihood and that of her family.

Jane was immediately drawn to the program and eagerly participated in all the training sessions. She learned about the importance of trees and forests in mitigating climate change and how to establish and maintain a tree nursery. She also learned how to properly care for and maintain the forest. Jane was amazed at how much she did not know about her environment and was determined to put her new knowledge to use.

With her newfound skills, Jane decided to establish a tree nursery on her land. She started with a small area and began planting indigenous trees together with fruit trees such as Hass avocados, which are popular in the area and fetch a good price market. With the help of WWANC, she was able to properly care for the trees and watch them grow.

As her tree nursery began to flourish, Jane also noticed an increase in her income. She used the profits to buy cows, from which she sells milk, and poultry birds, from which she sells eggs. With this additional income, she was able to feed her family, educate her children, and improve their overall livelihood.

Jane’s tree nursery has also had a positive impact on the surrounding area. As the trees grew, they not only provided a source of income for Jane but also helped to improve air and water quality, hence combating climate change.