Water Is A Women's Issue 💧
Water is the foundation of most things that happen today. It is used for both indoor and outdoor purposes: cooking, cleaning, bathing, drinking, construction, washing and even watering plants. Most people today, generally don't consider water : a women's issue.
In the majority of countries in Africa, women and girls are burdened with the mandatory duty of securing water at long distance sometimes going above 5km. In some cases such as Rwanda, it is a norm for the females in society to take up this responsibility at a very tender age. At 12 years and even below. This robs women the time and strength that can be used for income generating activities and for girls in particular, a fair chance at education. It is also not a hidden fact that women work more hours than men but are more likely to live in poverty.
UNICEF conducted a study deducting that women and girls worldwide spend an estimated 200 million hours daily, fetching water. “Just imagine — those 200 million hours add up to 8.3 million days, or more than 22,800 years,” says UNICEF’s Global Head of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sanjay Wijesekera. “It's as if a woman started with her empty bucket in the Stone Age and didn’t arrive home with water until 2018.”
Women worldwide have proven to society that they are just as capable as men, maybe even better, to perform the same roles that men do. Water Access Rwanda, a FEMALE led WATER enterprise is in fact the ultimate proof of truth based on assumptions made.
The pictures above represents WARwanda water warriors from different nationalities with burning craze towards the same cause. (Far left- Inamahoro, Burundian; Wema, Kenyan and Katese, Rwandan). Leading the change, they strongly believe that each person deserves the dignity of having easy access to clean, safe and reliable water.
WARwanda has improved the lives of thousands of women increasing their free time and thus their productivity through our 13 INUMA water kiosks widely spread in Nyarugenge District. Provision of our INUMA water has narrowed the gender gap. Furthermore, the INUMA safe water points have reduced violence against girls and women. As the company sets foot in a new district, Rusizi (which is more wanting), it hopes to make twice the impact. Our Water for Climate project also has women and gender equality at its center and is promoting gender equality through inclusiveness of our projects.
Safe, clean and readily available water is vital for ALL communities. Indeed, Water is Life and more so, a women's issue.