“Call me Haoua, the WASH Advocate”
Haoua Abdoulaye, a 55year old widow and a mother of six children lives in Kobio community which literally means ‘a rest under the big baobab tree’ at Torodi within the Tillabéry region of Niger.
Haoua is a trader and engages in the making of traditional mat, liquid soap, selling of dry vegetable and also rearing of farm animals.
As a WASH Committee member, Haoua reveals that her community received two hand-pump wells constructed by Wells Bring Hope through World Vision interventions a year ago. And that immediately her community received clean water, She was motivated and decided to become a WASH advocate. “I then told everyone to address me by the name WASH Advocate” She said
She recalls, before her community had access to clean water, both children and women had to travel for about 3kilometers into the bush to fetch water from a river. She said, “If you set off early in the morning to go and fetch water, you will be lucky to return by mid-day. We use to get snake bites all the time and as for guinea worm infection and diarrhea, it was very common. Both children and adults including my own sister had guinea worm infection. I even remember the Chief of Kobio, could not walk for more than two years because he also had the guinea worm disease.”
According to Haoua, getting water to bath children and prepare them for school was a challenge and for that matter most children either could not go to school or go without bathing. This she mentioned affected the hygiene and sanitation condition of her community.
“God being so good to us, World Vision came to our aid and brought Wellspring Hub to drill two hand-pumps well for us. We were also given wheel barrows, waste bins, shovels, rakes to help us keep our surroundings clean. And so I took it upon myself to be an advocate to ensure our community is clean. As a WASH committee member in charge of hygiene, I always organized the women and children to clean the hand-pump well site and toilet facilities every day. As for sweeping the entire community, I make sure it is done every Tuesdays and Thursdays.” Haoua narrated.
She further disclosed that as soon as her community received clean water and their sanitation conditions improved, they were introduced to forming savings group. An initiative, She professed has improved her livelihood and been life-saver. She recalled that after she lost her husband 13years ago, she became a single mother who had to take care of all her six children. Continuing, she revealed she sometimes resorted to borrowing from people and selling her farm animal to earn a living.
“Taking care of my children and myself in terms of their feeding, both school and health needs was always a struggle. And so when the savings group was introduced I did not hesitate to join and even become the President. I made sure I attend all our weekly meetings to give my contribution. I was then able to take a loan of 30,000 CFA (US$50.00) which I use to buy dry vegetables like (okro, ula, sesame seed, baobab leaves etc) in bulk and sell to make profit”, Haoua intimated.
She further revealed that, as members of the savings group, they were also trained by WV on how to make liquid soap and mosquito repellent through the use of their own local nuts and herbs which She also produces and sell to support her family.
“I now have enough money to take care of my children and grandchildren as well. I am able to buy school materials for them and take them to hospital when they are ill and do not have to go around borrowing money from people again. WV has made me and many other women in the savings group very self-sufficient now. There is so much bonding between the women in this community now, to the extent that we have become like sisters. We are very grateful to World Vision for empowering us and can only ask God to continue to bless the staff and all the people who support the work with their money” Haoua said.