Janamora women from hardship to leadership

“Now it is up to us to perform and prove that women can lead and benefit their community. Our vision is to take tap water to every household,” said Mitike Meles, Vice Chair Woman of the Janamora Women Water Supply and Management Association.

The potable water service, inaugurated 9 May 2011, is constructed by Actionaid, Janamora community and administration. It benefits 12,231   residents of Mekane Birhan town and Denkolako peasant’s enclave of the woreda.

Janamora Women Water Supply and Management Association is the first in engaging women as leaders  in the area and, hence, expected to set example of women leadership abilities in the area. Women in this remote district and its environs have been dissociated from leadership roles.

Alongside with the construction of the water works, ActionAid has been recruiting and equipping women with confidence and skills to carry responsibilities of managing and maintaining the water sources.  This involved a lot of works of awareness raising and consultation with the local government and the women.

In addition to training and equipping the management board, ActionAid recruited and hired four water sellers, six guards, a technician and an accountant equipping the office with necessary manpower and equipments.

The general assembly of the Janamora Women Water Supply and Management Association has a total of 84 members.

Women and girls spent hours queuing up at unprotected water springs. At times, this kept many of them out until mid night. Girls had to miss classes supporting their mothers fetching water before the introduction of the drinking water facilities.

Hence, the facilities have spared women from the arduous work and curbed the health problem due to water born diseases.

"Bringing women to the leadership and management of the Association, ActionAid aimed at facilitates conditions  and challenges us to excel and influence more women to aspire leadership roles in different areas," Mitke noted.

The Vice Chairperson also said that the management board members’ visit to Vicky’s Water Project ActionAid supported women water project in Silti Zone of the Southern State gave them insights and added to their confidence to work harder.