Transforming the role of women from water carriers to water ATM entrepreneurs: Poonam Sewak, Safe Water Network

Water Aunties have proven that women can successfully operate and manage Water ATMs.

Safe Water Network and USAID have pioneered the ‘Water Aunties’ program helping to develop women social entrepreneurs in water ATMs breaking the gender roles and poverty cycle. Currently, 548 women are independently operating water ATMs across 23 cities and 11 states providing affordable safe drinking water to the communities.

What is the overview behind the program?

63 million people in India lack access to safe drinking water. The burden of water collection lies on women which detracts them from engagement in income-generating work. Women make up only 13.76% of India’s entrepreneurs and own 20.37% of MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).

Safe Water Network (SWN) and USAID India have pioneered the “Water Aunties” program under the Sustainable Enterprises for Water and Health also known as SEWAH project. From 2019-2022, under this program, the organization has been transforming the role of women from water carriers to water ATM entrepreneurs by generating livelihoods and to challenge the myth that women at grassroots cannot operate technology. The program is operational across 23 cities in 11 Indian States with six implementing partners like Drinkwell Systems, JanaJal, Maithri Aquatech, Rite Water Solutions, WaterHealth India & Waterlife India. Building on SWN’s sustainable and affordable proven Water ATM model managed by male social entrepreneurs in India, to pilot for women as SWE entrepreneurs and operators and bring gender parity.

What is the strategy and challenges behind the program?

The challenge behind the program was to mainstream women in technology related enterprise, breaking traditional patriarchal mindset and rigid gender roles, low literacy hampering capacity-building and safety concerns due to odd hours of station operation.

What are the unique program features and core activities?

Program features include: 

• QUIT strategy was implemented to enroll and retain women. 
• Gender inclusion advocacy was carried out by key opinion leaders, and male family members. 
• Implementation of women-friendly technology innovations. 
• Automatic dispensing to minimize need for station manning. 
• Usage of digital AV training modules in the local language.

The core activities include a dedicated retention program to address reasons women drop out from the program and capacity building in O&M of Water ATMs, book-keeping and social marketing.

Tell us about the Applications of Technological innovations?

Water ATMs with IoT-enabled RMS have been put into use for monitoring of plant performance, water quality and better consumer interface. With new age technology, there is no need for daily record writing and water can be collected by using pre-paid RFID cards or coin-based automatic dispensing. Free women’s presence from the Water ATM.

Comparative analysis between women-led Water ATMs Vs male-led Water ATMs. In India, the water sector is predominantly male dominated. Women account only for 17% of India’s labor force in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene sector. The contribution towards service fees of women is 15% of revenue with 212 cans/day in terms of sales while male is 13% with 174 cans/day which is low as compared to women. The women had stronger financial discipline with higher recoveries towards O&M, better volume growth & consumer registrations, well-maintained ATMs with better plant hygiene and able to engage with local governance to troubleshoot issues.

Scale-up of Water Aunties Program

SEWAH Alliance has replicated the “Water Aunty” program across India and overseas. Water Aunties earn nearly $50-70/ month. These water ATMs have easy access to affordable safe water, saving water collection time for local women permitting them to pursue daily wage work at $4-5/day letting them support their family financially.

What is the impact behind the program?

Water Aunties have proven that women can successfully operate and manage Water ATMs. The program helped break gender roles, integrated women into the WASH workforce, and helped provide evidence-based policy recommendations. ‘Water Aunties’ through the SEWAH Alliance partners, has been piloted in Ghana, Nigeria, and Bangladesh. 548 women have successfully become Water ATM Entrepreneur-Operators and are serving affordable safe drinking water to the communities.

Quote from G. Surekha – Operator, Hyderabad, Telangana, “I am the leader of the Water Aunties program in Hyderabad. I was the first Water ATM operator and have attracted four more women to become Water ATM operators.”

Quote from Karen Klimowski, Dy. Mission Director, USAID INDIA, “SEWAH Alliance implementers have scaled the women led affordable safe drinking water. The Gender toolkit has become a classic resource for women’s empowerment in safe water enterprises.”

Quote from D Thara, IAS, Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, “We are committed to empower women in all enterprises, especially safe water. We need more NGOs like Safe Water Network to mainstream grassroot women in water enterprises and water quality surveillance.”

This article was originally published on India CSR.