It has been proven that keeping, protecting and managing trees in the forestlands and farmland have significant effects on the livelihoods of the rural poor. It enhance household resilience and lead to a significant increase of the dietary diversity.
Badilisha has focused sharply on the most vulnerable members of the community, mainly women and youths who depended on forest products like charcoal and fired wood which they sell to the fishing communities which dots the shores of Rusinga Island.
Due to the fact that they low household food security indices, and live below one dollar a day, these families are under pressure to feed their large families.
Badilisha identified all the women and encouraged them to form two support groups (Rusinga East and Rusinga west) ,where they were given seed funds by BOOKS FOR TREES to start small micro enterprises to earn their livelihoods .
And so far the groups are doing great work and most of the women confess that their plight as changed as a result of the support