Episode 6: How Access to WASH Services Transforms the Lives of Ugandan Women – Action for Rural Women’s Empowerment (ARUWE)
Action for Rural Women’s Empowerment’s (ARUWE) Executive Director, Agnes Mirembe, shares her journey and how ARUWE advances women’s rights, climate-smart agriculture, and water access in Uganda. Discover how this local NGO blends personal experience with impactful programs for rural communities. Agnes highlights how water shaped her childhood—and how that experience now shapes her leadership.
This episode examines how water scarcity disproportionately affects women and girls, particularly through the burden of water collection and entrenched social norms that perpetuate their vulnerability. Issues such as distant water sources, limited access points, and the impact on education (including menstrual hygiene challenges) contribute to stark disparities, with only 6% of girls completing primary education in some areas and elevated dropout rates. The discussion emphasizes how improved WASH access can transform women’s lives by alleviating these pressures.
The conversation also addresses broader challenges like unsustainable farming methods, climate change impacts, prolonged droughts, and food production and nutrition threats. It underscores the critical role of small-scale farmers in ensuring food security and the interconnectedness of water, agriculture, and community resilience.
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Website: https://aruweug.org/
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The HOW: Channeling Water Solutions is produced by W12+ Programs, co-jointly run by the Institute for Ecological Civilization and SOSNPO.
