In Bravo Village, Ward 7, Hurungwe, mornings used to begin with a long walk.
Women woke before sunrise, carrying axes and sacks, walking kilometres in search of firewood. It was exhausting. It was risky. It was normal. Deforestation was not just an environmental statistic — it was a woman’s burden.
When Tag a Life International partnered with the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme to introduce clean energy and sustainable livelihoods in the community, the goal was clear: reduce pressure on forests, restore degraded land, and strengthen women’s economic resilience.
But as with most real change, the journey has been layered.