Rural women play a vital role in transforming communities. In the heart of Chibwe village lies the first Vigor Aqua Solar Station, an innovation that has eased the burden of accessing safe and clean water in the community by cutting off long distances in the commute for water.
Hope is anchored on the belief that granting access to this precious human dignity builds resilience and a future generation.
With more households having this life-sustaining necessity at their doorsteps, quality time for girls to dedicate to academics is secured.
This gives them the confidence to cultivate their future and envision strategies to make their households and nation proud.
Beyond a water droplet that penetrates the open gullet, one must also imagine those who are threatened by the effects of the lack of basic clean water for domestic use in their lives.
The life expectancy of young women is at risk because of the means they use to purify water for human consumption.
An unspoken thought is the desire to live in a moment with an improved water source and sanitation facility to sustain their dignity and personal hygiene.
For instance in Luapula province, a predominantly rural area, the majority of women depend on small-scale deforestation for their livelihoods. They produce charcoal for sale and collect firewood for domestic use, but this practice poses long-term sustainability issues and contributes to environmental degradation.
These activities have been maintained through a traditional Bemba practice called Chitemene system but pose a highly negative environmental impact.
Parents, especially women who play the role of a housewife, should act as influential guardians of humanity and mother nature.
Rural women make up about 22% of the global population. Highlighting their significant role and contribution to society. They are often at the frontlines teaching, conserving, and bettering the environment around them. Empowering them with access to education, resources, and opportunities is crucial for driving positive change and sustainable development efforts.
While efforts to combat key issues such as climate change, gender inequalities, hunger, decent work, quality education and WASH are key, rural women should not be left behind.
Global Empowers, through its partners the Perth Rotary Club and Coogee Chemicals, introduced the Water Does Matter Ambassador Program to serve as a platform to educate rural communities on the best practices to safeguard nature and water.
The program operates independently, with the community holding the responsibility to appoint executive members. This ensures local leadership and decision-making, empowering the community to take ownership of the program and align it with their specific needs and priorities.
Rural women are increasingly breaking the glass ceiling by taking up roles which empower livelihoods in rural communities the world over.
Prudence Bunda, Global Empowers WASH officer for Chibwe Village, has shown excellence and diligence in ensuring that safety is guaranteed at the Water Station, which serves over 5000 beneficiaries.
Through this work, the community has adopted the water station as one of its key assets. The improved access to safe and clean water has significantly improved the living standards of the community and broadened their horizons for a brighter future. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) access to safe and clean water saves approximately 1.4 million lives per year.
On this special day, as we continue to be inspired by the strength and resilience of rural women, we encourage them to continue to emulate the best farming practices to safeguard our vegetation and environment. Their achievements and stories of triumph takes us places and serves as a great motivator as we continue on this great marathon to provide clean, safe and drinking water.