Dear All,

At this time while we are picking up the pace, discussing and fighting to provide a relevant platform for professional Women in the sanitation sector, i cannot help but be reminded of this story about Mukuka in Zambia, her story and many others are real-life stories of the strength and impact that Women bring to the sector. It would do us good to bring more of these stories to light to celebrate our women in the sanitation space.

Kindly share stories here on the forum that you have come across and please also follow these discussions that are pushing the Women in Sanitation Agenda.

1. Introducing the African Women Sanitation Professionals Network-Zambia Chapter: forum.susana.org/regional-chapter-africa...twork-zambia-chapter 
2. Women in Water and Sanitation Network (WWSN): forum.susana.org/gender/24563-women-in-w...itation-network-wwsn

Regards,
Chaiwe

Hi Paresh,

You bringing up the social media campaign raised a question about what deliberate efforts are out there to support Women in this trade. So I quickly sent SNV in Zambia an email to see how they support Women like Mukuka. This is the response I received from  Mwangala, SNV's Advisor based in Kasama town, Zambia.  

Dear Chaiwe

SNV has introduced Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) which is being mainstreamed into the five components of the projects. In each town ( Kasama, Kabwe, Nakonde, Mpulungu and Mbala) there is a GESI  task force that is part of the District Water Sanitation and Health Education (DWASHE) Committee. So, yes GESI interventions are addressing the gender issues in WASH and activities are being implemented to raise the importance of having an Inclusive WASH program and to influence Change in wider WASH policy and practice.

Chaiwe

Thanks Chaiwe for sharing this inspiring story.

Reminds me of this recent Social Media campaign by TNUSSP on the occasion of the International Women's Day. TNUSSP brought out stories of 7 women working in sanitation sector. The series captured a variety of role played by women in service provision, operations management,  senior management, awareness generation. Though none of them are involved in emptying pits, they are pathbreakers and trendsetters in their own way. 

Regards
paresh

It is not every day that one meets a female pit-emptier in  Zambia. This is true for most countries in Sub-saharan Africa. While the sanitation sector is trying to deal with the issue of acceptance and formalisation of the sanitation worker profession across the globe, the issue of women, who wish to join the workforce or are part of it has not fully been explored yet. That is why I couldn't resist sharing this story coming out of Zambia, written by SNV.

The story celebrates a young woman sanitation entrepreneur and mother ( Mukuka Mutale ) who is working as a pit-emptier. Mukuka strongly believes that there is a future for women in the faecal sludge management (FSM) business. Read the full story here: snv.org/update/who-says-women-cant-be-faecal-sludge-emptiers

EXTRACT FROM ARTICLE:

‘It is an achievement to be the “first lady” of FSM in the Northern part of Zambia, especially because it is a male-dominated business. In some quarters women sanitation emptiers continue to be stigmatised.'

With a twinkle in her eye she said, ‘Looking clean and good will not feed me. Shit business is good business.’

It would be great to hear of similar stories from other parts of the region and other parts of the world. 

Chaiwe