Climate Curve

Help for Sustainable Development (HELPSUSDEV)

Org Type

Nonprofit

Year Founded

2016

Primary Project Category:

Secondary Project Category:

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses)', 'Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)', 'Removes/stores GHGs (e.g., projects that capture, sequester, or otherwise enhance the "sinks" that accumulate and store GHGs)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Women smallholder farmers are the primary beneficiaries, leaders, and decision-makers of this project. HELPSUSDEV intentionally places women at the center of system ownership, technical operation, and cooperative governance, recognizing their critical role in agriculture, household energy use, and community resilience. Women are trained as biogas and solar system operators, agroforestry practitioners, and cooperative managers, enabling them to control revenue streams from organic fertilizer, energy services, and agricultural production.

By replacing firewood collection with clean biogas, the project significantly reduces unpaid labor burdens that disproportionately affect women and girls, freeing time for income-generating activities, education, and community leadership. Improved indoor air quality directly benefits women’s health, reducing respiratory illnesses associated with traditional cooking fuels. The project also strengthens women’s bargaining power and economic independence through collective enterprise models, fostering long-term participation of climate-vulnerable rural communities in climate mitigation solutions.

Mission Statement:

HELPSUSDEV’s mission is to empower women and rural communities to lead climate-positive development by deploying circular, low-carbon energy and agricultural systems that improve livelihoods, restore ecosystems, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.