As a gender equality advisor for the Aga Khan Foundation, Lindsay Mossman writes about how the effects of COVID-19 are particularly onerous on women and girls across the globe, and how everyone can play a part in ensuring a better, more equitable “new normal” in the future.

In the late 1990s, Farmer’s Choice Ltd (FCL) – a project company of Industrial Promotion Services (IPS) – began supporting the smokie business in Kenya, which in the eyes of many may not seem like a lucrative business, but has created employment for many people – especially amongst the youth. Today, FCL is working with thousands of smokie vendors countrywide, many of whom are reporting significant gains in income and better prospects.