Mariam Leigh is a small-scale farmer in the Central River Region in The Gambia. Like many smallholders, she struggled to make ends meet, not being able to afford agricultural equipment nor fertilizer for her farming.

Mariam joined Maruo Farms, a local rice production company founded by Musa Darboe, a Gambian entrepreneur returning from the USA. The company specializes in production of climate-resilient rice for the Gambian market and creates job opportunities for vulnerable groups through the Jobs, Skills and Finance (JSF) for Women and Youth Programme run by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and its partners, funded by the European Union.

Since joining Maruo Farms, Mariam’s life has been improved, and she now recruits and supervises a group of women famers. She is proud to be part of the team working for the same goal and making positive impacts in rural Gambia.