20^th Eco-gen Ambassador Program- 1^st Report June 2018

Through this report, I want to share information about an innovative project from the Middle East region.

 

Severe water crisis has been a serious and growing concern in Jordan. With the aim to raise community awareness on water security, in 2014 the Jordan Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) launched 'Water Wise Women' a unique initiative that provides plumbing training for women.

 

Traditionally, women have been responsible to a great extent for water management at household level and in selected fields also on community level. In cooperation with the Germany Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Ministry of Water and Irrigation Implemented the 'Water Wise Women' project, that trained over 300 women in plumbing and water saving.

 

These women were from the most vulnerable areas of country, in terms of water security. The project was designed for long-term behaviour change by encouraging local women to be change agents. The initiative aimed to reduce water consumption at the household level, and to empower women for social development, rather than short-term awareness raising.

 

With the slogan 'We are depleting water at the expense of our children' sustainable mechanisms for behavior change on the community level were established in rural and urban areas. 7 groups of each up to 20 women of all ages and educational backgrounds qualified to become 'change agents' in water use and protection. They reached out to their communities and spread the message and appropriate tools.

 

Currently, the initiative reaches approximately 2000 households in seven communities. Women who are interested have the opportunity to take a plumbing course and receive a repair kit with the required tools, to fix leaks in their homes and their neighbours' houses.

 

The initiative uses locally appropriate know-how and outreach. Each participant is trained through eight different levels, covering topics such as water leakage eradication, harnessing technology, reducing water usage in the household, and improving hygiene. All trainees are expected to share their know how within their local communities by reaching out to approximately 25 women.

 

The programme goes beyond the eradication of leakages, raising awareness on the management of water and the reduction of its usage within the household. In the areas that have Water Wise Women groups, the Ministry for Water and Irrigation found that there has been a 30-40% reduction in household water consumption.

 

The trainees have reached out to more than 18,000 local families. Additionally, 23 trainees have formed a cooperative to put their plumbing skills to commercial use for schools and government departments. They not only address water concerns at household or community levels, in addition to providing feedback to the government institutions towards better policy making.

 

It is not surprising that 'Water Wise Women' won the first place at the Best Water Conservation Project category in the Arab Youth Forum in Kuwait. We need more such projects in our communities, especially in the vulnerable and water scarce areas, to combat water loss and shortages. I hope this report will inspire many of the Tunza Ecogen members to start similar initiatives in their countries.

 

Sources and References

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/johud%E2%80%99s-water-wise-women%E2%80%99-wins-best-water-conservation-project

http://mvslim.com/water-wise-women-program-shatters-stereotypes-as-female-plumbers-resolve-jordans-water-scarcity/

https://www.genderingermandevelopment.net/jordan.html