The IRC in New York celebrates the remarkable gains clients make every day, but when opportunities to see clients recognized for their achievements outside of the office arise, IRC staff are eager to cheer clients on. This October, Kathleen McTigue, New Roots program manager for the IRC in NY’s New Roots Program, and Sheryll Durant, New Roots farm coordinator, attended the International Day of Rural Women event at the United Nations in New York to support Rose Nzapa Ayeke, a New Roots participant and IRC client from Central African Republic. Rose, a vital member of the IRC’s New Roots Community Farm, was a featured speaker about the importance of food and farming throughout her life, particularly as a benefit to health and income generation in New York City. Rose’s exceptional experiences and presence were highlights of the UN’s celebration of the many contributions made by rural women around the world. 

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Rose speaking at the International Day of Rural Women at the United Nations in New York.
Photo: Kathleen McTigue

The International Day of Rural Women event hosted by the UN focused on the leadership and contributions made by rural women to their communities and to sustainable development around the world, which Rose has witnessed across continents in her life experiences with agriculture. The Day was designed to highlight the power of rural women as essential partners in enacting change in the face of poverty, hunger, malnutrition and climate change. The International Day of Rural Women was established in 2007, and the IRC in NY is delighted to support Rose’s contribution to this well-deserved celebration of rural women globally. 

Rose has been in New York for a decade, and has become an active presence at the IRC’s New Roots Community Farm. Since her arrival, Rose has found employment in food and gardening, and maintains a close relationship with New Roots. Rose teaches other participants at the farm about the traditional crops she grows in her beds, like bissap and jute, and assists with the weekly farmers market during the growing season. Rose’s commitment to sharing the “restorative value” of the farm in physical and mental wellness speaks to the wide range of benefits in food production, nutritional stability, and urban farming.

If you would like to learn more about the International Day of Rural Women, please click here. If you would like to support clients like Rose and programs like New Roots, please click here.