Mwandi, Western Province, Zambia—In many communities in southern Africa, looking after the family’s prized cattle is the preserve of men, while women tend to be responsible for growing crops and raising children.
Thanks to opportunities offered by the Herding for Health programme, a partnership between Conservation International and Peace Parks Foundation to improve conservation agriculture, more women are stepping into this traditionally male-dominated arena. On International Women’s Day, we highlight the inspirational achievements of two young women who are proving their mettle in animal husbandry and leadership.
Riding a motorbike across Simalaha Community Conservancy’s rangelands, Nawelwa Christine Muyunda knows she is an anomaly. At 32, she has risen to the rank of team leader for Herding for Health at Simalaha, where she fosters animal health in the community through planned grazing and rangeland management.
Her career and personal success as a farmer and cattle owner, while raising two young children, has earned her the respect of the local community – including male farmers. She and her husband own a house in nearby Mwandi village, which they rent out to two families for extra income. They also have a few head of cattle, which she has enrolled in the Herding for Health programme.
Despite her evident commitment to the programme, working in a male-dominated area has not been plain sailing: “Being a supervisor is a little hard. Some men […] say, this woman cannot lead us,” she says.
Her work has taught her about the prevailing mindsets and how to handle them within her team. With encouragement from her supervisor, she learned to ride a motorbike, gaining a mobility few women in her community enjoy. And instead of waiting for herders to do the more difficult tasks like vaccinating cows, she chooses to tackle them herself.
Her willingness to lead by example has earned her the title of ‘cow lady’ – one that she hopes to share with others soon. “I am expecting more ladies to participate in the programme because they see me as an example,” she says with a grin.
Fostering peace between people and nature
When women – like professional herder Vera Kahundu Mwalye – are empowered with knowledge and opportunities by programmes such as this one, communities thrive. Through her involvement with Herding for Health, this young woman has been able to place her children in school, buy livestock and secure a plot for her first home in Mwandi.
It’s an impressive feat for a single mother-of-two who dropped out of high school due to early pregnancy and against the odds, returned to complete her education. Through Herding for Health, she became a professional herder as a member of the Makanga Village Action Group in 2022, bucking another trend.
“Most of the men were happy when I joined [the communal herd]. Of course, there were some who doubted me. They thought I wouldn’t manage but they have changed their minds,” she says. “They have seen that I’m just as capable as they are, and they know that I am better than some of them.”
By using sustainable agricultural practices, Mwalye is helping degraded grazing areas in Simalaha to recover, which improves local farmers’ livelihoods. In addition, a mobile boma supplied by the programme for kraaling cattle on a rotational basis prevents overgrazing, which ensures healthy rangelands, and keeps them safe from predators like leopard and hyena.
Her family stands firmly behind her choice of career. “They’re happy with my job because I support them. Herding for Health has helped me because I never really had my [own] property. It has changed my life,” she says.
Herding for Health restores rangelands, builds peace between people and nature, and provides people living in poverty with incomes. By teaching farmers to look after the health of their animals and the environment, communities become better stewards of their land. In seven countries in southern Africa, including Zambia, more than 15,000 people are benefiting directly from the programme’s implementation.
Mwalye counts her blessings as one of them. Today, she owns livestock – five goats and three cows – placing her in a league beyond most young women, especially single ones, to whom she is a source of inspiration. “Three female volunteer herders joined (the communal herd) after seeing me in my role,” she says.
