The latest on our work and those supporting it
How Water Access Empowers Women and Girls: Women’s Equality Day
Why Water is Essential to Women’s Rights Today in the United States, it’s Women’s Equality Day, a day commemorating the day on which women in the United States gained the right to vote. While there are gender inequalities to address worldwide, one often-overlooked aspect of gender equality, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is a lack of […]
Zainab’s Story
For ten-year-old Zainab (Zy-nab), work starts as the sun comes up — and oftentimes, before.
Another Reason Fetching Water Risks People’s Lives: Dangerous Wildlife on the Way to the Water Point
In our mostly rural work areas, animals and wildlife can be a daily concern for those who must travel any distance to collect water.
International Women’s Day 2024: Don’t Leave Some Behind
Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. When I looked at the International Women’s Day website, I was struck by their missions: — https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ Of course, these are all admirable missions for women. But when I tried to relate all of these missions to the women we serve at The Water Project, it was difficult. […]
How Water Scarcity Breeds Violence
Where essential resources are scarce, the likelihood of violence of any type goes up. When people get desperate, they fight with others to secure enough resources for themselves and the ones they love. Constant strife, or even constant discomfort, is bound to make anyone irritable. This concept makes sense intuitively. But it’s still shocking to […]
Change Happens Once People Get Access to Water
Like rings that expand outwards from a drop of water in a pool, big changes start to happen once The Water Project installs a new protected water source in a community.
Gender in Water-Fetching Culture: Even Within Kenya, It’s Not Always the Same
In Western Kenya, it is the role of women, girls, and children to fetch water. Growing up as a young girl in Kenya, I saw only women and girls fetching water, and not men. We also rarely take the time to understand why fetching water is predominantly considered the “woman’s job” (or that of children). […]
Dreams of College and Careers: Why Water is Essential to Women’s Equality
Saturday, August 26th was National Women’s Equality Day in the United States — a holiday created in 1973 to commemorate women’s right to vote. In the United States, women’s equality has made great strides, but there are still ways in which women are at a disadvantage. All inequality is worth addressing, of course. But it’s […]
Why Becoming Educated is Hard in Sub-Saharan Africa – Especially for Girls
Here in the United States, late summer is the time of year when kids and parents alike start thinking about heading back to school. In the U.S., the process involves kids getting supplies, meeting teachers, and maybe even scouting the trendiest outfits. It’s unlikely that any U.S. parents are worried about whether the kids will […]