In Rural Kenya, Women Hit By Drought Trade Water For Firewood

Repeated drought in Kenya has forced women to cut trees for survival. According to the United Nations, 2.6 million people in Kenya need food aid. Excessive deforestation can lead to the degradation of water resources, making tough situations worse. This situation recently forced Gladys Korir, a mother of six, to carry water from the Mara River long distances to landowners, in exchange for the right to cut firewood. Protecting and maintaining forest resources by increasing the women farmers’ role in agriculture will help solve these multifaceted problems. Photo credit: Reuters/Noor Khamis