Women-led WASH

In Southeast Asia, nearly 185 million people do not have basic sanitation facilities, and over 100 million people lack access to clean water. Resulting community health complications are deeply compounded for women and girls in the realms of education, leadership, maternal and child health, and poverty eradication. East Meets West’s women-led WASH programs tackle water and sanitation barriers by delivering education, information and leadership through outstanding women’s organizations such the Vietnam Women’s Union, a well-connected mobilizing force with 17 million members, to spur gender-transformative WASH into action. Women with whom we work build confidence to negotiate critical needs within the family structure, spurring organic and sustainable gender equality in the broader community and subsequently within the construct of WASH programming and policy. East Meets West trains women leaders to educate families about new and affordable solutions. These women facilitate regular meetings to engage and empower other women, supporting them to identify WASH challenges and providing them with the advice, tools and options available to create a sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene lifestyle.