Danone Ecosystem: supporting women as they play a keyrole of changemakers

Limited access to education or job opportunities, domestic violence increase,financial dependence… Women are usually more vulnerable and affected by inequities due to national cultures or stereotyped sharing out of responsibilities between men and women.

As it impacts territories where Danone operates, empowering women is at the heart of some Danone Ecosystem Fund’s projects, as Kiteiras in Brazil or Warung Anak Sehat in Indonesia. And as Lourdes Arizpe explained: “Investing in women’s well-being is the best investment for development”.

Here is a testimony from Ismail Agus Said, President Director of Dompet Dhuafa (Warung Anak Sehat project’s NGO partner in Indonesia) about Warung Anak Sehat, a Danone Ecosystem Fund project in Indonesia operated by women in local health care center:

“Warung Anak Sehat (WAS, i.e “Healthy Children Kiosk”) program was set up to promote the mothers’ knowledge on balanced nutrition, and teach them how to prepare healthy and nutritious menus while providing access to nourishing products through economic self-reliance.

Women are a central part of this project, first as main actors, and second as beneficiaries of the projects (becoming entrepreneurs, earning additional income, increasing their nutritional knowledge).

Furthermore, since its implementation 6 months ago, the program has had a relatively positive impact on the health of children under 5 nearby WAS locations. Initially, 30% of the 450 babies who were surveyed in the targeted areas were exposed to malnutrition. It has now decreased to 20%.”

Learn more in the Ecosystem Fund newsletter.

@Vincent_CC