Meet the Regional Leaders Helping Expand Opportunities for Women Farmers

As part of Opportunity International AgFinance’s Women GROW the Future series, AgFinance continues to expand the work of GROW (Guaranteeing Rural Opportunities for Women) – a strategy focused on increasing access to training, financial services, and opportunities for women smallholder farmers across Africa.

The GROW strategy recognizes a reality that already exists across rural communities: women are central to agriculture, family nutrition, local economies, and long-term community resilience. Women plant crops, manage farms, care for children, run businesses, and often hold families together during periods of economic instability and climate stress. Yet despite their contributions, women continue to face barriers to land ownership, financial access, agricultural training, and business opportunities.

GROW works to address these gaps by helping create stronger pathways to:

• financial services and savings opportunities,
• agricultural and business training, 
• climate-smart and regenerative farming practices,
• local leadership and peer support networks,
• and more inclusive participation in household and community decision-making. 

Since launching in 2019, the strategy has already contributed to measurable outcomes. Women participating in GROW-supported programming have reported increased earnings, stronger financial confidence, and greater decision-making power within their households. But the long-term success of this work depends on something deeper than programming alone: local leadership.

For that reason, we are so excited to announce that AgFinance recently launched its first cohort of GROW Regional Coordinators.

These coordinators were selected because of their leadership, field experience, and deep understanding of the communities they serve. They are not stepping into abstract roles or distant oversight positions. They are working directly alongside field teams, Farmer Support Agents, financial institutions, savings groups, and farming communities to help strengthen inclusion and ensure women farmers have greater access to the tools, training, and opportunities they need to grow.

Over the next year, the coordinators will help support:

• gender and disability inclusion efforts across programs,
• safeguarding and equitable participation practices,
• collaboration between local teams and partners,
• implementation support and problem-solving,
• and locally driven learning that reflects the realities women farmers navigate every day.

Their work also helps ensure that GROW remains grounded in listening, adaptation, and practical solutions shaped by the communities themselves.

Meet the GROW Regional Coordinators

Bhahati Zimba, Malawi

Bhahati Zimba is OI AgFinance's Regional Coordinator for the Central Region. With over a decade of experience in agriculture, she has dedicated herself to helping families build profitable farms that provide food security and support their children’s education. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Development Studies and holds a Bachelor’s of Social Science in Community Development, as well as a Diploma in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management from the University of Natural Resources of Malawi.

“By placing women at the center of development, we spark growth, build resilience, and ensure lasting food security for entire communities.”

Bhahati Zimba

Alfred Moja Phiri, Malawi

Alfred Moja Phiri is a Project Officer based in the Chikwawa District in the southern part of Malawi. He brings over five years of experience in financial inclusion, conservation agriculture, VSLA programming, digital literacy, marketing, and climate resilience. He has been working closely with farming communities to build resilience and expand access to opportunities.

“I joined the GROW program because I have seen firsthand how women farmers carry the weight of food security in their communities and I believe that when we remove the barriers holding them back, entire households and villages will transform.”

Alfred Moja Phiri

Helena Anambe, Ghana and Nigeria

Helena is based in Ghana. She serves as a Project Officer for AgFinance's FIRST+II Project, where her work prioritizes women farmers. Over the last year, she has been providing Business Development Services to youth smallholder farmers in rural communities and has promoted women’s participation to onboard 45 female FSAs. Helena also has 6 years of experience integrating gender-transformative programming by promoting gender sensitive hygience education, women's participation in water management for improved health outcomes, women's empowerment, and inclusive community engagement. 

“I joined GROW because inclusive programs reach more farmers, increase productivity, promote fairness, and drive sustainable development. GROW helps to embed these values into practice through training, safeguarding, and inclusive facilitation.”

Helena Anambe

Jennifer Tori, Ghana and Nigeria

Jennifer is based in Ghana and currently works as a Project Officer with Opportunity International AgFinance, where she has been for over one year, supporting community-based development initiatives. She also has experience supporting gender and social inclusion initiatives through community-based programs, with a focus on empowering women and youth to take on leadership positions and actively participate in decision-making. Jennifer is an advocate for shared gender involvement in unpaid care work and equal access to opportunities for women and persons with disabilities. Her work has involved fostering inclusive participation and supporting vulnerable groups within agricultural and rural development programs.

“I joined the GROW Program because I believe in empowering women to overcome barriers and access opportunities for economic growth and inclusion.”

Jennifer Tori

Samwel Adero, Kenya

Samwel is based in Kenya, where he has worked with Opportunity International AgFinance since July 2025 as a Project Officer for Farmer Support Services. He has experience supporting digital agriculture initiatives, farmer training, field operations, and the implementation of technology-driven solutions for smallholder farmers.

“When women farmers are empowered through the GROW program with the right support, knowledge, and opportunities, they become powerful drivers of food security, economic growth, and lasting change within their communities.”

Samwel Adero

Bright Conne Ebong, Uganda

Bright is a Farmer Support Process Manager at Opportunity International Agricultural Finance based in Uganda, with nearly four years of experience in the organization, having started as a Project Officer. She brings strong experience in project management, process improvement, and youth-focused program implementation.

“Working with the GROW program is deeply personal to me, as it reflects the economic empowerment that shaped my own journey through my mother’s experience.”

Bright Conne Ebong

Daniel Ndahimana, Rwanda, DRC, and Madagascar

Daniel works at Opportunity International AgFinance as a Project Officer in January 2024. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (Project Management) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, with over nine years of experience in rural community development programs. As AgFinance’s French-speaking GROW Regional Coordinator, Daniel will also be supporting DRC and Madagascar. 

“Through GROW, I am eager to support rural women to lead, prosper, and drive lasting change across communities.”

Daniel Ndahimana

As GROW continues to expand, these coordinators will help shape how the strategy takes root within different regions and communities. Their leadership will support stronger implementation, more inclusive systems, and greater opportunities for women farmers to strengthen their livelihoods, businesses, and long-term resilience.

Behind every training session, savings group, field visit, and lending opportunity are people committed to helping communities build lasting progress from within. These coordinators represent an important part of that work: bringing local knowledge, practical experience, and a shared commitment to helping women farmers access the opportunities they have long worked toward.