WHAT WE DO
GWWI is building a movement of local women water experts to address the issue that affects them the most: WATER.
Women and Water Academy
The GWWI Women and Water Academy is a training programs that equips grassroots women with the skills and tools to bring sustainable water solutions to tackle the health and violence risks, and lost income and educational opportunities associated with the lack of safe water and sanitation in their own communities. GWWI conducts a multi-year training programs to transform women from passive recipients of failed water projects to WASH providers. Women gain the expertise to become TECHNICIANS, TRAINERS and SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS.
GWWI strengthens women's leadership in the WASH sector - whether at the village, government or NGO level. Women are taking the lead bringing demand-driven income-generating services to solve their local water crises - improving community health, building simple technologies and MAKING MONEY!
FROM WATER BEARERS TO WATER PROVIDERS AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS!
Here's how we do it.
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES?
Transforming women from water bearers to water providers!
Challenging Gender Stereotypes
As technicians...
(masons + bricklayers)
...women are trained and supported to build 'appropriate' WASH technologies. "Appropriate technologies' can be made with local materials, are durable, effective and accepted by the community, thus keeping the prices affordable and maintenance easier. If something breaks down, the replacement parts and materials are available locally.
Women can build solutions including
rainwater harvesting systems
water storage tanks
pit latrines
composting toilets
cleaning bays
water filters
Changing Behavior to Improve Community Health
As trainers...
(facilitators + educators)
...women offer hygiene education in the community to encourage proper hygiene practices to reduce the risk of water-related disease, protect and clean water sources as well as train other women to construct.
Ensuring Financial Self-Reliance
As social entrepreneurs...
(manufacturers + contractors)
...women and the organizations for which they work diversify their funding streams. Women earn income by making and selling water and hygiene related products as well as professionalizing their services as masons hired to construct various technologies. In addition, the organizations they work for learn to strengthen their proposal writing skills and have increased access to international WASH funding, local government contracts and micro-loans to finance their projects.
Women learn to make and sell
- soap
- shampoo
- chlorine
- reusable menstrual pads
- solar cookers
- toilet digesters
