“I used to think that to be a trainer you had to be educated. But here I am a WASH trainer in my community!” -Grace Mushongi, BUWEA Community Organizer and GWWI Graduate

The GWWI Women and Water Training Programs are designed to build a network of well-rounded professional WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) implementers, trainers and development practitioners, and to strengthen women’s leadership in the WASH sector—whether at the village, government or NGO level—by building the training capacities of global women leaders.

Currently GWWI supports 3 training programs to build women’s expertise in the WASH sector.

Grassroots Women and Water Trainings are year-long training programs that consists of a one week hands-on training followed by a year of peer support and refresher trainings. Introducing WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) planning strategies, appropriate technologies, and ongoing leadership development to grassroots women who have experience in community development. Women leaders are selected based on a solid track record of experience in community organizing, project management and implementing solutions to WASH related issues. Participants complete trainings by receiving seed funding to launch community-based water projects in their communities.

The Outcome: Grassroots women gain the tools and skills to implement and replicate appropriate WASH solutions in their communities.

The Fellows Program integrates a global team of women graduate students and development professionals into Women and Water Training Programs. Fellows gain a holistic and hands-on training in international development, WASH-related education and appropriate technology. They are assigned Grassroots Teams to work alongside for the year long program. The Fellows participate in trainings and field visits, assisting Grassroots Teams in the implementation of their water projects. They also support the monitoring and evaluation process for GWWI.

The Outcome:  Following this intensive program GWWI Fellows learn from other WASH facilitators and become WASH Advanced Trainers equipped with the requisite tools to train others on WASH education, appropriate water technologies, action planning and project implementation not only in their communities but also for future GWWI Grassroots Trainings. In addition, they become more equipped to professionalize their services and be able to market their skills as a potential career opportunity.

Women-Led WASH Service Centers train GWWI graduates on all aspects of WASH including multiple technologies to address all the water and sanitation needs of their communities. Often, lack of water is not the only issue communities face. More often than not, communities have a combination of lack of access to water, sub standard water quality and lack of toilets. This Training trains GWWI participants to be able offer a variety of WASH services and professionalize their services by being contracted to build technologies, offer WASH education, or offer WASH products such as water treatment technologies, reusable sanitary pad, handmade soap and other income-generating activities.

The Outcome: Following this 18 month training program, women have a holistic knowledge of WASH and be able to build and offer a variety of water and sanitation solutions in their communities.

GWWI partners with African networks to:

• Co-create appropriate curriculum for its week-long training programs
• Identify Training Participant teams from Community-based and Non-Profit Organizations
• Collaborate with professional African Women Trainers to bring depth and regional knowledge to the trainings
• Support participants to implement sustainable water technologies in their communities