Senegal’s Mariama Sonko empowers rural women through sustainable farming

In a quiet corner of Casamance, a region in southern Senegal, one woman has spent over three decades championing a quiet revolution. Mariama Sonko, born into a farming family, has become a symbol of hope for rural women across West Africa. As president of the pan-African movement Nous sommes la solution—which unites more than 800 associations across eight countries—she is rewriting the narrative of women’s roles in agriculture and food sovereignty.