By Julie Cole | Fundraiser, HOPE UK
Last month clean water arrived in Kalebo Laka! This means that women no longer need to spend 3-4 hours each day in search of water that is often contaminated and makes them and their family ill. Instead, each household has safe, clean water just minutes from their home. To mark this occasion, there was an official handover ceremony where the community agreed to manage and maintain the new system, primarily through the elected Water Committee and trained Water Caretakers, of which 50% are women. It was a momentous day to celebrate the start of a new way of life, especially for the 873 women of Kalebo Laka.
Since July 2016, when construction began on the water system, 200 of the neediest women in Kalebo Laka have been receiving training within their designated Self Help Groups (SHGs), learning basic business skills (including entrepreneurship, community organisation, leadership and group dynamics). They have also been learning about the importance of saving money and methods to do so. Recording and maintaining sufficient records to keep track of their new savings has been a new skill for many, especially as 90-95% of these women are illiterate.
It is still early days since their lives have not been dominated by the daily need to source water, but most of the 200 women have now requested a loan from their SHG to start a small business. Some examples include vegetable farming, sewing and weaving to make clothing and blankets, rearing and fattening animals to then sell at market or to sell their milk to neighbours. Each of these businesses are revolutionary new beginnings for most of these women to earn money, whilst also having sufficient funds to save money weekly and regularly pay back the interest on their loan from their SHG.
As a result of the support from their SHG and small business ventures, it has been reported that the confidence of women in Kalebo Laka has grown. Women are now engaging in their community in more vocal and pro-active ways. Others have reported that they have made strides towards positive change in gender relations in their households. Almost all the women say they have greater hope for their future.
HOPE is confident that SHGs have already had a dramatic impact on improving the lives of women and their families in Kalebo Laka. SHGs have purposefully been structured so that long after HOPE support staff have moved on to our next project, local support networks and relationships will remain in tack. This will allow 200 women to receive community support and opportunities for increased leadership and empowerment for years to come.
Thank you for your support and investment in these women, whom are now role models in their village and nearby villages as well. Importantly their children now have a different societal model, of which women play a significant and more equal part. Access to clean water kick-started these changes, but the additional investment of SHGs is bringing fundamental change.
By Julie Cole | Fundraiser, HOPE UK
By Julie Cole | Fundraiser, HOPE UK
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