Women of Vigour
Women are the primary managers of water in rural Uganda. They are the ones who walk long distances to fetch it in jerry cans, carry its heavy weight back to the house, and use it to cook, clean, and bathe the family. When a well pump is broken, women often have little control over when it gets repaired and can be cheated on the price of the repair. Putting women in charge of well maintenance can therefor be a game changer. Giving them the tools they need to be leaders in well maintenance means water access is sustainable and families stay hydrated and healthier.
In January of 2017, MedWater provided an introductory training to a team of 8 Katosi Women Development Trust (KWDT) members on how to repair shallow wells. Following the training, MedWater also suggested how the hand pump mechanics could be organized to manage the area's many wells. A second follow up training in July 2017 strengthened the team's skills and set them on a course for major success. After three years, we were so excited to see what happened!
Well pump repair is now a solid part of KWDT's programming and they've trained over 36 mechanics across the organization's the 19 groups! Women are now acknowledged as dependable pump mechanics and are maintaining communities' access to water. Check out the video as we follow one woman, Margaret, on her journey to repair a local community shallow well. You are sure to be inspired!
