Cargill Partners with Raks Thai Foundation (RTF) to Empower Thai Women through ‘She Thrives’ Project, Fostering Economic Independence, and Community Well-being

Bangkok (28 March 2024) - Cargill, a leading global food and agriculture company, remains steadfast in its commitment to promote sustainable livelihoods worldwide. Empowering Thai women to play a pivotal role in driving economic and societal progress, Cargill today announced a collaboration with the Raks Thai Foundation (RTF), a member of CARE International, to launch ‘She Thrives’ Project in Thailand. This three-year initiative, running from June 2023 to May 2026, aims to bolster the economic contributions of Thai women and supports both entities commitment to sustainable development and the improvement of community livelihoods.

Currently, women comprise 54.5 % of Thai population[1] and serve as the foundation of the economy, cultivating strong and sustainable communities. Cargill recognizes women’s potential, in agriculture, with their dual roles as both farmers and entrepreneurs, while managing familial responsibilities. Underscoring the significance of women as a driving force for Thai communities and economies, the ‘She Thrives’ program aims to empower women in rural areas facing multiple barriers to accessing opportunities and resources necessary for realizing their full potential.

The Thai program launch follows the successful Vietnamese launch of ‘She Thrives’ in 2022 and seeks to address:

1) Supplemental income generation sources for women;

2) Food security in local communities, ensuring households have improved access to nutritious food; and

3) The empowerment of women and gender balance among leadership roles in organizations and communities, to catalyzing sustainable and positive change within the society.

By 2026, ‘She Thrives’ will reach over 16,200 people in Thailand with 75% of the total outreach being women. This is in addition to the 15,000 people benefitting from the pilot in Vietnam.

In Thailand, the project will focus on four provinces, namely Saraburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Buriram, particularly women within the subgroup earning below the minimum wage. People within the communities will have opportunities to undergo training provided by RTF and Cargill experts to enhance their knowledge and skills in various occupations.

Mr. Thiti Tuangsithtanon, Managing Director, Cargill Meats (Thailand) Company Limited, remarked "Cargill is dedicated to fostering food security, driven by our mission to nourish the world. We recognize the immense potential of women to excel across various domains, serving as stimulant for community and economic growth. Women represent a vital demographic, seamlessly connecting food and familial bonds. Our partnership with the Raks Thai Foundation underscores our joint commitment to enhancing the quality of life and well-being, particularly for women and marginalized groups earning below the minimum wage, by cultivating career pathways, imparting knowledge and skills, besides offering financial support to businesses, thus empowering women to actively participate in economic progress".

In addition, Cargill will provide high-quality chicken products, raw chicken meat, as well as chicken parts at a subsidized cost for participating community members.

Raks Thai Foundation (RTF), led by Program Director Ms. Panthatip Mongkolsri, continued “CARE International, in partnership with Cargill and the Raks Thai Foundation, is dedicated to implementing transformative projects across Southeast Asia, spanning from the Philippines to Vietnam, and most recently, Thailand, through the impactful ‘She Thrives’ initiative. As both members of CARE International and partners of Cargill, our collective focus remains steadfast: empowering women, fostering equality, and creating opportunities for economic advancement. We firmly believe that by equipping women, often marginalized in society, with essential resources, knowledge, and awareness of their rights, they emerge as dynamic drivers of development, both within households and communities, leading to enduring societal progress. Currently, 40 supported micro-enterprise groups are in the incubation phase, receiving comprehensive training from experts covering product development, business management, capital utilization, and broader community-centric topics such as nutrition and gender roles. We are sincerely committed to harnessing the potential of Thai women and driving sustainable development as aligned with our shared organizational objectives”.

For more than 60 years, Cargill and CARE International have collaborated to improve agricultural productivity and market access, increase food security and nutrition, strengthen education, and support access to safe drinking water and economic opportunities, especially for women and girls. Currently, the two organizations have developed and implemented 34 distinct projects that have reached more than 4.6 million people across 13 countries in Southeast Asia, Central America, and West Africa.

For those interested in joining or supporting the ‘She Thrives’ project in Thailand, you can contact the Raks Thai Foundation (RTF) informing the name of ‘She Thrives’ project or visit its official website at www.raksthai.org for more information.

 

Additional Source:

[1] Demographic - The Board of Investment of Thailand