Help Vulnerable Women Become Leaders of Change

Water. It has such an incredible impact on our lives yet we often take for granted turning a tap and having clean, fresh, safe water available right in our homes. But for women and children who live in developing countries and areas impacted by conflict and war, safe access to clean water can mean the difference between safety and trauma, peace and violence, even life and death.

With access to water, many of the social issues that these women and girls face daily are automatically solved: dramatic reduction in the sexual violence that occurs in remote areas where a creek or hand-dug well is located; near eradication of sexual exploitation by men who deliver water to disabled, pregnant, sick, or elderly women who can’t retrieve it from remote sources themselves; girls are in school on time instead of being late every day because they have to collect water for their families and they don’t miss school during menstruation because they can now attend to their personal hygiene needs; water-borne illnesses are vastly reduced which keeps children and adults healthier, and women have more time for economic pursuits that can help support their families and pay school fees for their children. All of these solutions, and more, arise from water access.

Since June 2015, Global Grassroots has been working with nine women-led teams who all know that if they have local access to water, their lives and the lives of girls and other women like themselves will change – for good. So far, six of those teams have completed construction on their water pipelines and huts where they are now selling water to their community and leading workshops and sensitizations on other social issues in their villages, such as domestic violence, HIV awareness, and women’s rights. These six teams can serve up to 3,000 people each. When all teams are operating, 30,000 people – mostly women and girls - will have safe water access right in their villages.

Two of our remaining women-led teams, Kindness and United, are ready to begin construction on their pipelines. In addition to providing water to their community of 3,000, Team Kindness plans to work with every household to educate them on the importance of water sanitization to reduce the incidence of disease from tainted water and non-sterilized jerricans. The team also plans to hold family planning workshops for 40 couples. Finally, Kindness will provide free water to the 20 most vulnerable households.

United’s 41 members will provide community water access to nearly 3,400 people. In addition, they are working with 100 local couples on gender balance, family planning, and domestic violence; the most troubled couples will receive regular mediation and training to help them improve their marriages. United also will provide free water to the ten most vulnerable households in their villages, including those too poor to pay for water and those whose health make it difficult to retrieve water even from a nearby source.

United and Kindness need your help to complete construction of their community water projects. Will you support one or both of these teams? Please think about how much you spend on bottled water each week and then consider donating that amount once a month to Global Grassroots through GlobalGiving. As a monthly donor, you can help these vulnerable women take all that they have learned through our Academy for Conscious Change and bring important social change – and life-changing water access – to their villages. Whatever amount you choose to give is important and deeply appreciated. We truly are grateful for your support!

Links:

• Global Grassroots' website. View our video!

Team Unite launched their venture in 2013 in a village outside of Kigali, Rwanda. Their work consists of three parts: teaching community members skills that can create income, providing opportunities for people (particularly women) to come together in groups to discuss their lives, and educating their community about women's rights.

First the team purchased sewing and knitting machines and taught groups of women - and men - how to use them. They taught jewelry- and basket-making, too, so community members now have a variety of ways to earn income. Everyone who produces goods gives 10% of the sale back to the venture, keeping 90% for themselves; what is returned to the team is re-invested in the venture.

Men and women work in separate groups. Unite members will then talk to the group about women's rights, domestic violence, the importance of education, etc. while their captive audience works on producing their crafts. In these groups, men and women are also more likely to engage in open conversations about their lives and it is often through these conversations that the team learns of a marriage in trouble or a woman being abused by her husband. The team can then intervene.

Marie-Claire has been married for five years and has two small sons. Despite her husband's salary, her own salary as a primary school teacher, and the income from food they grow to sell, Marie-Claire said they never had any money. Her husband would take it all and spend it on alcohol and other women. As a result, the couple was always in conflict and she was ready to leave with the children who were frequently distressed. As a last resort, Marie-Claire confided in one of Unite's leaders. A small contingent of team members then made weekly visits to Marie-Claire's home to help the couple resolve their issues. Over time, Marie-Claire's husband grew to understand the impact his behavior was having on his wife and children and he knew that it was up to him to change.

Marie-Claire says that now they are 'doing well' and her children no longer experience turmoil at home. Her husband brings his salary home each week and together they decide how they will use their income. He is also spending more time with their children. Marie-Claire smiled and said, "I am very happy."

So far, Unite's work has reached 420 people, including 71 men and 32 youth, and local leaders now refer troubled couples to the team for help.

Your support of Global Grassroots' Academy for Conscious Change makes it possible for teams such as Unite to implement their own sustainable solutions to social issues impacting people in their community, especially women and girls. Thank you!

Links:

• Global Grassroots homepage