“Let us amplify the voices of all women, from our communities to global climate negotiations, together we are stronger and will go further.”
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
Our Story
Like many women of my generation, I grew up navigating expectations about who women should be and where they belong. I longed for the freedom to think independently, question the status quo, and shape my own path.
Years later, working within the environmental sector, a pattern became impossible to ignore: in spaces where decisions about land, forests and communities were being made, women were often absent. Their presence was treated as an exception, despite the fact that many of them lead environmental action at community, national and global levels.
That contradiction stayed with me. Across the Congo Basin and other parts of francophone Africa, I kept meeting women who are protecting ecosystems, organizing communities, and developing solutions, often in the shadows, and without support or recognition.
In 2019, I founded Terra Mucho to respond to this gap. It began as a space for women environmental leaders from the Congo Basin—women like me—to share their leadership journeys. It quickly evolved into something broader, with the aim of strengthening women’s leadership, increasing the visibility of their impact, and opening spaces for them to connect, grow, and influence environmental action across francophone Africa.
I truly believe that when women’s voices, experiences and dreams are lifted up and amplified, then narratives, mindsets and possibilities shift—and new generations can begin to see hope for the future and a role for their own leadership within it.
Today, I am proud to see Terra Mucho steadily becoming a space of voice, strength, and solidarity for women working for environmental justice across francophone Africa. We stand together.
"I belong to this region, and I have experienced its challenges firsthand. I created Terra Mucho with the desire to contribute to addressing them more directly. The name ‘Terra Mucho’ comes from my mother tongue, Kinyabwisha—‘Gutera’ meaning to sow seeds, and ‘Umucho,’ meaning tradition. For me, it is about challenging the status quo by planting new ways of being and belonging, while staying deeply connected to our roots."
Terra Mucho Founder & Executive Director
Our values are captured in this single word: more than an acronym, it reflects who we are and what we stand for. These values guide our work, shape our relationships, and ground our commitment to women environmental leaders across francophone Africa.
We believe in the strength of solidarity among women, and we cultivate trust-based relationships as a foundation for women to learn from one another, strengthen their leadership through shared experiences, and rise together.
We acknowledge privilege and power dynamics, and we create spaces where every voice matters and the principle of inclusion shapes how women’s leadership is recognized, supported and valued.
We are committed to a conscious, responsible, and participatory approach in everything we do. We develop our initiatives and tools in consultation with the women we serve, ensuring they are designed to be owned, adapted, and carried forward independently of us.
We believe that trust is the invisible foundation of any healthy relationship; and that healthy relationships are central to the success of actions and results on the ground. We strive to curate spaces where individuals feel safe to be vulnerable, share their true selves, and can share experiences and express emotions without fear of judgment.
We believe every woman has the potential to lead. We choose to engage with women regardless of their title, position, or the scale of their initiatives. We facilitate opportunities for each woman to grow into her potential and take her place with confidence.
We feel a responsibility towards both past and future generations when it comes to the conservation and sustainable use of land and natural resources; we honor the wisdom and knowledge of those who have come before and strive to create a better future for those who are yet to come.
Our Struggle
The Congo Basin is one of the world’s most critical climate-regulating ecosystems, whose forests play a decisive role in the global ecological balance.
Beyond its ecological importance, the Basin is shaped by competing interests over land, forests, and mineral-rich territories. These resources are increasingly contested, and in several areas, control over them is linked to conflict and insecurity.
Environmental protection in this context is complex and inseparable from questions of power, access to resources, and governance.
of tropical peatlands — the largest tropical peatland complex in the world.
of CO₂ absorbed annually — a climate ally of global importance.
of primary forest lost in 2024 — critical forests continue to disappear at an alarming pace.
of tropical forest funding reaches Central Africa a globally important ecosystem remains chronically underfunded.
Environmental engagement can be a high-risk form of action. Speaking out, defending natural resources or organizing collective action often involves navigating pressures, restrictions, or threats.
Yet civil society plays a critical role: we see individuals and organizations stepping in to defend community rights, sustain environmental action, and keep essential efforts alive, often in ways that remain underrecognized.
In the Congo Basin and across francophone Africa, environmental action unfolds within contexts marked by limited funding, fragmented collaboration, and unequal access to opportunities and decision-making spaces. Language barriers further deepen these constraints for civil society, limiting access to regional and global platforms and reducing visibility for many initiatives beyond national borders.
of environmental journalists have faced violence or intimidation — speaking out on environmental issues remains a high-risk form of action.
of documented attacks on environmental defenders in Africa since 2012 occurred in the DRC.
of African countries are French-speaking, yet many funding and advocacy spaces remain largely English-speaking.
of grassroots organizations encounter language barriers in grant applications — language still shapes who is seen, heard, and funded.
For women environmental leaders, the risks are even more pronounced. Alongside the pressures faced by civil society as a whole, they also face heightened vulnerability, including violence, exclusion, and invisibility, as well as the unequal weight of responsibilities within their families and communities.
Nonetheless, they remain deeply active. From local initiatives to wider movements, women continue to lead environmental action every day— from local initiatives to wider movements, women continue to lead environmental action every day—protecting territories, strengthening resilience, and shaping change from the ground up.
of food production in Sub-Saharan Africa is carried out by women — at the heart of Africa’s food systems.
of working women are employed in agriculture — central to rural livelihoods and resilience.
of foundation funding targets women and the environment.
of global climate finance reaches Indigenous women-led initiatives.
Our Mission
We see African women playing a leading role in building a just society that places natural resources and biodiversity at the heart of collective well-being.
We amplify the voices and impact of women driving environmental change in the Congo Basin and across francophone Africa.
Few organizations have chosen to focus on women driving environmental change in the Congo Basin and across francophone Africa. As feminists have long argued, “the personal is political,” what happens in a woman’s private life reflects and is shaped by broader structures of power. This is why we offer holistic support that spans both the professional and personal spheres, because we know that confidence, well-being, connection, and access to the right opportunities and partnerships are just as essential to leadership as skills and knowledge. We believe these women are the true instruments of change. Our role is simply to make sure the conditions are in place for them to lead.
Our Theory of Change
We believe that when women environmental leaders are visible and recognized for their work, they gain the confidence to speak out about the environmental challenges facing their communities and the solutions they are driving.
When they have the skills and connections to communicate their impact and build alliances across geographies, they become more effective and influential in their environmental work.
And when they can rely on solidarity, mutual support, and access to the opportunities and resources they deserve, they are able to sustain and scale their efforts—driving more just, resilient, and sustainable environmental change in their communities and beyond.
Our People
Communications Manager
Maintenance and Operations Officer
Communications Assistant
Organizational & Strategic Advisor
Head of Finance, Administration and Operations
Well-Being Pathway Lead and facilitator
Founder and Executive Director
Storytelling Pathway Lead
Engagement & Monitoring Officer
Board Secretary
Board Treasurer
Board Chair
