GWEFODE organizes hands on training courses for women in water stressed areas on how to build Rain Water Harvesting Tanks to access water and improve on hygiene and sanitation in their households.

CAPTION: Members of GWEFODE Kashongati Women Group attending hands on training in building Ferrocement Water Tanks

Access to water and Sanitation facilities still remains a challenge and continues to be responsible for high mortality and morbidity in rural communities of Kabale district. There is low awareness of Economic and Social rights especially the right to water and sanitation, the right to land and other natural resources. Kabale district is a Water stressed area and given that its geographical terrain is predominantly hills, the number of people with limited access to water in rural communities continues to increase. This affects women and girls who walk long distances in search for the much needed water in order to feed their families and become vulnerable to physical and sexual violence and other life threatening attacks.

To this end, GWEFODE is Training local women groups from water stressed areas as masons in construction of ferro cement tanks empowering them to become efficient water users and managers. The organization has established women groups and strengthened existing ones such as Rurembo Women Group and Kankiiro Women group thinking of innovative ways of how to bring water close to themselves and their communities through initiating Rain Water Harvesting Tank Schemes,

The project empowers women to challenge Male Stereotypes and local abuses in communities, Improve Women’s livelihood skills for future employment and income generation. It is expected that each of the women trained will use the skills acquired to train at least 10 fellow women in Tank construction and maintenance. This will benefit over 300 women indirectly and sustain the project in the long term. The trainees could also sell their skills to construct tanks for other people at an affordable cost thereby earning incomes and improving their standards of living. These training courses will empower women to challenge stereotypes men and communities hold about what women can and cannot do.