Work For Life

Habanira Ubizima

ISSUE:
Under the leadership of Francine Kabagabire, 16 women decided to address the issue of limited and unreliable access to clean water in their community. The extremely limited capacity results in hours of waiting for one's daily supply of water, causing job tardiness and lack of school attendance. While unpredictable water access affects all community members, Work for Life identified widow and orphan-headed households as the most vulnerable groups bearing the brunt of this problem.

SOLUTION:
To help address these debilitating issues for vulnerable members within the community, Work for Life developed a socially motivated venture. These 16 women installed a water tank on land donated to them by their local church. Tapping into the local piping system, they provide access to clean water for 250 local households. The group then uses proceeds to provide:

• Two jerry cans of water for five vulnerable households per day
• Soap, cleaning services, and cultivation guidance for five vulnerable households per week
• School fees for five orphans, and
• Annual health insurance for five families

IMPACT:
The Work for Life team graduated from the second Academy for Conscious Change program in Rwanda. They navigated difficult but valuable partnerships with the local church, on whose ground their water tank sits, and with the water company, Electrogas. They serve a community of 250 households representing 2250 people, with clean water daily and provide additional support services for 10 vulnerable households.