Liliane Pari Umuhoza, a program lead at Planet Women and a proud Rwandan-native who is currently residing in Vancouver, facilitates Women’s Leadership Circles (WLC) through our Center for Gender, Equity & the Environment in Africa.

The WLC brings together environmental leaders from more than 15 different African countries who work in forest restoration and nature conservation. The program consists of eight monthly online sessions with different topics ranging from storytelling and communications, impact and influence, changing workplace culture, and philanthropy and fundraising. In the WLC, members build a sense of sisterhood, share about challenges and successes, and exchange information.

The first Women’s Leadership Circle cohort graduated in December 2023 with 22 women from wide-ranging roles in the environmental field, including project managers, executive directors, founders and activists. Despite facing barriers as women in the environmental field, these leaders remain dedicated to caring for nature and improving well-being in their communities.

At Planet Women, we believe that local leaders like these women are the ones who create real, lasting positive change. They should be the decision-makers and our role is to provide the resources to support their projects. That’s why a key part of WLC is offering $3,000 seed grants to participants to invest in their personal and professional development. All of the grants we provide are low-barrier and unrestricted, reflecting our commitment to trust-based giving. We are so inspired by what the women have chosen to do with their funding!

Thanks to the support of Planet Women’s community, we distributed 21 seed grants to the first graduates of WLC—for a total of $63,000. These grants were given to the women to implement projects in their communities or invest in their own professional development. One woman finished a master’s program, one wrote an autobiography, and one launched a local cooperative. Others are conducting trainings in their local communities about the environment, climate change, and women’s empowerment.

Our second cohort of WLC launched in September 2024 with 30 women—a 36% increase from the last cohort. And we already have a waitlist for the third cohort.

Here are Liliane’s key takeaways from what she’s learned running WLC:

• Work WITH people, instead of working FOR people. Before implementing the program, we asked women for their input. We sent out a survey asking WLC participants what they need at the beginning, the middle and the end of the program to make sure that the program is serving their needs. This is a great community-based approach that is often forgotten in development work.
  

• Our program focuses on both the personal challenges and professional challenges of participants. This means that as we work to help empower the women professionally, we also prioritize overall well-being, which is a vital driver of success.
  

• A trust-based approach makes a world of difference. Low-barrier, unrestricted grants have many, many benefits. They simplify the grant application process, minimize paperwork and foster an environment of confidence and reliability. This resolves the issues women have raised including staff shortage, language barriers, lack of resources and access to information.  By prioritizing trust, these grants empower recipients, encourage community engagement, and support initiatives with a focus on transparency and simplicity.

Support this important work by making a donation today. Your gift supports women leaders who are stewarding forests, rivers, and biodiversity. Give today.