Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Africa

The Women’s Leadership Circle (WLC) brings together women from across Africa who are leaders in forest restoration, community development and wildlife protection. During this 8-month program, participants meet monthly for skill-building workshops and support one another in reaching their career goals. After graduation, participants can receive micro-grants for professional development opportunities.

In May 2025, our second cohort graduated with 24 women from 13 countries—with a diverse range of experience, from executive directors to crop researchers and wildlife rangers. In post-graduation surveys, the women reported increased self-confidence, increased ability to self-advocate, a greater sense of community and stronger leadership skills. This year, Planet Women distributed $72,000 in seed grants to these trailblazers so they can invest in themselves, their careers and their communities.

Spotlight on Seed Grants to Women Leaders in Africa

Jacinta Sajila Pamita works as a Resilience Program Manager at IMPACT Kenya, the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation. She supports livelihood initiatives across northern Kenya and advocates for community-led solutions to the climate crisis. She joined the WLC because she is passionate about transforming the lives of women and girls.

Jacinta used her $3,000 seed grant from Planet Women to train and mobilize 52 Indigenous women to restore degraded rangelands, adopt climate-resilient gardening, and strengthen food security in their homes. Her project is called “Restoring Roots” and its purpose is to drive powerful ecological and nutritional change in Arjiju Village, Laikipia County, Kenya.

Over four months, Jacinta worked with the Namaiyana Women’s Group to restore the environment and improve food security through hands-on training in rangeland restoration, tree planting, grass reseeding, composting, and innovative vertical and sack gardening. Despite dry weather and wildlife challenges, the women created innovative solutions, including a low-cost fencing method to keep elephants away from gardens. Their impact reached far beyond direct participants, benefiting more than 350 community members.

Key achievements:

• 1,000 tree seedlings planted with a 90% survival rate

• 3 acres of degraded land reseeded using 20 kg of grass seeds and 500 semi-circular bunds

• 42 household kitchen gardens established using vertical and sack methods

• 4 tons of organic compost produced to support long-term soil health

Jacinta credits the WLC for strengthening her leadership, confidence, and project management skills. Her “Restoring Roots” project will continue to grow through community commitment, a future seed bank, compost center, and new partnerships to scale restoration across Laikipia.

Quotes from project participants:
“This is the best and simplest way of growing vegetables. We would have saved so much before.”

“Our children will be healthier now that vegetables will always be available at home.”

“Women now have money in their pockets. They are no longer relying fully on their husbands.”

Dafrozah Corneli Samagwa is the Program Director at Floresta Tanzania, where she has risen through the ranks after five years of heading various departments and serving as a field officer for one year. As a WLC graduate, she used her $3,000 seed grant from Planet Women to transform women’s leadership across four districts in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region.

Through her project, Empowered to Lead, Dafrozah set out to strengthen the leadership capacity of 400 women living in rural communities, equipping them with confidence and knowledge to participate in community decision-making, environmental restoration, and climate justice advocacy. This past summer, Dafrozah led six district-level trainings, mentorship sessions, and community dialogues that reached 420 women, encouraging participants to recognize their power and potential.

The project sparked powerful stories of transformation. One woman was inspired to launch a small business selling local snacks, earning daily income and strengthening her financial independence. Another participant, a woman with a disability, gained the courage to run for a ward council position. Although not selected, she shared that the training “boosted her confidence, visibility, and belief in her leadership journey.”

Dafrozah credits the WLC program for shaping her ability to navigate power dynamics, lead with emotional intelligence, and amplify women’s voices through storytelling and media, topics covered during her WLC sessions. Her project’s dialogue was aired on three local radio stations, extending its impact across the region!

We are so proud to see this ripple effect of the Women’s Leadership Circle, expanding impact into communities far beyond where we can go ourselves.