“Zum Zum Zum” is a children’s song in Tanzania that mimics the sound of bees. But it’s also a metaphor for the countless hours of work by millions of women — planting, tilling, and harvesting crops, collecting water, and preparing food that feeds millions. Dr. Monica Mhoja, Landesa Outreach Director for Africa, and Hellen Bulugu, an award-winning poet and activist from Tanzania, give voice to the millions of women who are calling out for the one thing they need most — a piece of land of their own.
Learn more about the Stand for Her Land campaign, working to help women realize land rights in their daily lives, at stand4herland.org.
Category:
Related resources

Strong Roots, Stronger Futures: Momtaz Rebuilds with Hope
Meet Momtaz Begum, a woman rebuilding hope in coastal Bangladesh by adapting her land and planting mangroves to protect her home from the rising tide of climate change.
Success Stories

From Challenge to Change: A Journey to Secure Land Rights
After decades without secure shelter, Naima and her family in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans gained legal access to land through a government lease program after attending a training supported by Shushilan and Landesa. They are now building a permanent home and planting a garden—laying the groundwork for a more stable future.
Success Stories

Climate Change Adversities and Gender Inequality in Bangladesh
This program reflection from the Coastal Livelihoods and Mangroves Project explores how gender norms shape women’s and girls’ experiences of climate change in Bangladesh’s coastal communities. Drawing on fieldwork in Satkhira and Khulna districts, Shushilan's Snigdha Ghosh highlights how unequal access to forest resources and mobility restrictions limit women’s participation in climate resilience efforts—reinforcing vulnerabilities and increasing the risk of gender-based violence. The insights underscore the need for gender-sensitive climate action that centers the voices and rights of women and girls.
Issue Briefs