Authors: Irene Kilango, Anita Lintula and Elina Sipilä
Across the world, rural women are vital to food security, environmental protection, and the pursuit of equality. Curious and thoughtful, Jane Mutala from Kyala village, Makueni County, Kenya, embodies this spirit of resilience and care. She says she learns best by talking with people and asking questions. At 61, she is a widow, a mother of five, and a grandmother of thirteen. As the leader of the Kingongi Women Group, she brings women together to learn, grow, and lead.
“Leadership is not about power but about courage and compassion.”
FARMING WITH NATURE
Jane is an innovative farmer who works with nature, not against it. She uses organic manure, practices crop rotation, and plants drought-tolerant seeds to keep her land fertile and resilient. By integrating trees with crops, she has turned her small farm into a diverse source of food and income.
“I now have more diverse sources of food and income — mangoes, lemons, avocados. I once got 8,000 shillings from selling lemons.”
Through ecological dry toilets, Jane has improved her family’s health and her farm’s productivity. By combining sanitized waste with animal manure, she enriches the soil naturally and reduces disease. Her maize harvest has grown from three sacks to thirteen, proving how local innovations can transform lives.
WEAVING HOPE
Basket weaving brings Jane both peace and pride. With the income from her craft, she opened a small shop in her village. Together with her group, she manages collective savings and invests in community businesses such as a posho mill and rental houses, ensuring shared prosperity.
“When I weave, I feel proud, creative and at peace.”
WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN
Jane believes change grows from unity. Through table banking and mutual support, her group helps women educate their children, build homes, and start businesses.
“We work together, support one another and share experiences, because when women unite, families and communities prosper.”
Jane’s message to women and girls everywhere is simple yet powerful: learn, act, and lead change in your own lives. Her story reminds us that empowering women and caring for the earth are inseparable parts of a just and sustainable future.
“Through patience, teamwork and compassion, we can grow both food and hope.”
