Take it from the Ironwoman

In the heart of IHUND, a small village with a big story, a quiet revolution began in 2020. Thirty-four women, led by the determined and visionary Agnes "Nyango" Maledy, came together to challenge the status quo. They founded Femme Rural, a cooperative that dared to pioneer in the male-dominated world of cocoa farming. But their journey didn’t stop there.

Supported by LadyAgri, Femme Rural receives tailored mentoring and coaching to build their capacity, along with a financial guarantee that has opened the doors to credit and financial services. This support has been a gamechanger, allowing the cooperative to secure resources, invest in their operations, and grow their collective impact.

From a founding group of 34, the cooperative now boasts 82 members. They’ve achieved milestones once thought impossible: opening a bank account in the cooperative’s name, securing land ownership, and building a collective spirit that has transformed their lives.

In this episode, you’ll meet women like Béatrice and Agathe, whose journey embodies the cooperative's spirit. Once a shy, introverted woman, Agathe overshadowed by her husband’s family, she has emerged as a proud producer of premium cocoa under the label #CacaoExcellence. Thanks to partnerships with the French chocolatiers group Chocolatiers Engagés, Femme Rural sells its cocoa at premium prices, proving that empowerment is not just about survival but about thriving.

With LadyAgri’s unwavering support, Femme Rural is a shining example of how access to credit, mentorship, and collective action can transform not only individual lives but entire communities.

Join us as we celebrate the incredible journey of Femme Rural—a story of self-determination, community transformation, and the power of women working together. This is not just a story of farming; it’s a pathway to prosperity, decision-making, and breaking barriers.

Tune in for a Christmas tale of courage, collaboration, and change, straight from the fields of IHUND, Cameroon. If you would like to further support these women you can donate through the Friends of LadyAgri philanthropic fund.

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Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz

TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY

700+ weekly blogs / 450+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk

Malia Faleafine is an accomplished leader with over 15 years of experience in strategic operations across diverse sectors. Growing up in Hawaii, Malia developed a deep appreciation for community and collaboration, values that have shaped her professional journey. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, equipping her with a robust understanding of social dynamics and organizational behavior.

Malia has built her career in the dynamic landscapes of the Bay Area and New York City, where she has held senior leadership roles in various organizations. Her expertise lies in crafting and executing strategies that drive organizational effectiveness and foster equitable practices.

As the founder of Social Reverie Consulting, Malia offers fractional COO services, helping organizations optimize their operations while emphasizing critical thinking and creativity. Her passion for equity informs her approach, ensuring that the solutions she provides are inclusive and impactful.

In her work, Malia is dedicated to empowering teams through collaboration and innovative problem-solving, making her a respected figure in the field of organizational strategy.

Connect with her: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malia-faleafine/

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Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz

TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY

700+ weekly blogs / 450+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk

Theresa MBA is a highly qualified Technical Apparel & Fabric Art Design, Cloth Doll & Toy Artist, Fashion and Creative Arts Instructor with solid background in accounting. 17 years of extensive experience in Fashion Entrepreneurship, managing people, building the capacity and empowering individuals to become self-reliant marked by strong leadership skills, work ethics, and a vision-driven approach with a sharp eye for detail posing excellent interpersonal skills and customer care experience across various fields with the drive of motivating and inspiring the youth to embrace productivity and self-employment through motivational and entrepreneurial talks.

She was recognized and awarded as Fashion Entrepreneur 2022 under YEA amongst numerous awards received by my company, my incredible journey empowers children and adults alike to embrace their roots, fostering a sense of pride, unity, empowerment and celebrating Africa’s rich cultural legacy through fashion skills. This passion led to the creation of the brand “MBA Mode
Dolls and Toys,” now branded as “BADUBA - Crafting Africa’s Tale.” Baduba products, sold and exhibited both locally and internationally, are powerful representations of Africa’s beauty, strength, and history. Telling the African story while helping children develop empathy, acceptance, self esteem, confidence, social & emotional skills and diversity & inclusion. I embrace inclusion, therefore, 100% of our production staff are women, including a disabled team member whose ability goes beyond imagination, aligning ourselves
SDG goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 12.

CONTACTS: MBA MODE GH LTD
Email : [email protected] | [email protected]
Website: http://www.baduba.mbamode.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbamode.ta

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Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz

TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY

700+ weekly blogs / 450+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk

Follow her journey: Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/droolsstudio/ /
Twitter: @droolstoys

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Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz

TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY

700+ weekly blogs / 450+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk

CEO of Pandatron where we partner with Fortune 500s to transform the way change happens with AI. Our conversational AI platform combines systemic coaching with data-driven insights, enhancing employee engagement and accelerating strategy execution.

My dream is to enhance self-awareness, emotional intelligence and psychological maturity of everyone on the planet as I believe this may be our best option for improving the world. Pandatron is my vehicle for realizing this dream.

In my free time I support companies that are pushing the boundaries of aging research and longevity biotechnology.

Besides, I am Ukrainian, a supporter of therapy, minimalist, writer on Medium. I am interested in metamodernism and the work of Hanzi Freinacht. I live in San Francisco and often visit Helsinki.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimasyrotkin/
Website: https://pandatron.ai/

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Susanne Mueller / www.susannemueller.biz

TEDX Talk, May 2022: Running and Life: 5KM Formula for YOUR Success
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_5Er1cLvY

700+ weekly blogs / 450+ podcasts / 1 Ironman Triathlon / 5 half ironman races / 26 marathon races / 4 books / 1 Mt. Kilimanjaro / 1 TEDx Talk