Power in the hands of women farmers in The Gambia / Grym yn nwylo ffermwyr benywaidd yn Y Gambia

Satou is a smallholder farmer living in The Gambia. Like many other farmers, she has been struggling to get her business back on track after the COVID-19 crisis.

In summer 2021, she attended United Purpose’s training course on vegetable production and business management. Although she has had very little formal education, she benefited from this practical and accessible training course. It was conducted in English and two local languages (Mandinka and Wolof) – and illustrations, case studies, stories and group discussions helped Satou and the other participants to engage with the content. She said that the training helped vegetable production groups like hers to better understand their individual roles and responsibilities, enabling them to work together more effectively.

Satou is just one of 31,500 farmers (mainly women) that UP’s COVID-19 response project, funded by the Welsh Government, has supported in The Gambia

Mae Satou yn ffermwarig sy’n byw yn Y Gambia. Fel llawer o ffermwyr eraill, mae hi wedi bod yn brwydro i gael ei busnes yn ol (needs roof on o) ar y trywydd iawn ar ol (roof on o) argyfwng COVID-19. 

Yn ystod haf 2021, mynychodd gwrs hyfforddi United Purpose ar gynhyrchu llysiau a rheoli busnes. Er mai ychydig iawn o addysg ffurfiol a gafodd, elwodd Satou o’r cwrs hyfforddi hygyrch ac ymarferol hwn. Fe’i cynhaliwyd drwy gyfrwng Saesneg, Mandinka a Wolof – ac roedd darluniau, astudiaethau achos, straeon a thrafodaethau grŵp wedi helpu Satou a’r cyfranogwyr eraill i ymgysylltu â’r cynnwys. Dywedodd fod yr hyfforddiant wedi helpu grwpiau cynhyrchu llysiau fel hi i ddeall eu rolau a’u cyfrifoldebau unigol yn well, gan eu galluogi i gydweithio’n fwy effeithiol.

Mae Satou yn un yn unig o’r 31,500 o ffermwyr (merched yn bennaf) y mae prosiect ymated COVID-19 UP, a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, wedi’i gefnogi yn Y Gambia.