Help Vulnerable Women Become Leaders of Change

When Eugenie was pregnant, she regularly had to carry 25 liters of water long distances to provide for her family (1 liter = 2.2 lbs). That's 55 lbs of water, while pregnant. 

Pregnant women who carry heavy loads of water are far more likely to miscarry than women who have local water access.  Eugenie was one of the lucky ones; she carried her baby to term.

Water can be dangerous in other ways. Eugenie, who is a social health worker and mother of five in Bugarama, Rwanda,  says, "...because the groundwater is not protected [from runoff and drainage], the people who get water there are often sick. I am a Social Health Worker in this village, so I would try very hard to get people to boil water, but it is hard. Some people think that the water is safe for them to drink, since they have been drinking dirty water for a long time. Others cannot afford firewood." 

Fortunately, Eugenie doesn't have to worry about carrying water up steep hills anymore. Having graduated from Global Grassroots’ Academy for Conscious Change, Eugenie now leads Bright Future, a non-profit water venture serving more than 3,000 people in her community, many of whom are mothers like herself. In addition, since launching their operations, the team has actively promoted water hygiene and sanitation. They have witnessed a decrease in water-borne diseases thus reducing medical expenses for families and out-of-school time for children, and improving the overall health of community members. 

Your support helps mothers provide water for their families and their community without risk to themselves, their children, and their unborn babies. If you are not a monthly donor to Global Grassroots through GlobalGiving, please consider becoming one. Many thanks for your generosity!

Links:

• Visit our website!

The members of Team Vision did not have an easy time getting their water venture up-and-running. No sooner had they launched their water enterprise than their water supply dried up, diverted to the nearby Rwandan military base. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, Vision raised the funds needed from their own community to run a new pipeline that would not compete with the base. They excavated new trenches, laid the pipe, and finally began selling water. The water authority was so impressed with their commitment as well as their financial skills acquired through our training, they asked the team to take over two additional water points; the team will be providing water access to up to 6,000 people in the coming months!

With the profits from the sale of water at their own water point, Vision has already funded family planning workshops attended by 115 couples; water hygiene and sanitation trainings for 187 households; free sanitation supplies for 20 of the most vulnerable households in the community, and the team has been instrumental in helping four children, who had dropped out, successfully return to school.

Please consider becoming a Global Grassroots monthly donor through GlobalGiving and help support a new team of marginalized, underserved women (up to 45 people!) design and run their own nonprofit solutions to the water and social problems facing women and girls in their community. We - and they - are grateful for your support!

Links:

• Global Grassroots website!