Let's Fix Broken Water Wells In Rati's India With WaterAid

Beyond the Veil| Ram Rati is a leader in her community, rising above her runaway bride status and wheat grinder. Married at age 11, Rati seems to be always a take-charge woman.

Rati tired of the wells in her village always breaking down and decided to take matters into her own hands. In the Indian district of Mahoba, one-third of the 4,000 drinking water wells are broken.

Rati was one of the first people to apply to WaterAid, an organization training micro-entrepreneurs in the well maintenance business in 26 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region. New well mechanics like Rati have fixed 300 hand pumps in 2 years, impacting the water supply of 300,000 people.

Today Rati is a trained well mechanic, improving her own life but also those of women in her community. Rati now employs two women laborers to farm her 15 acres and encourages the girls in her community to go to school.  

WaterAid has launched a fundraising initiative to increase well repairs by 50 percent. Important to us is WaterAid’s commitment to running women’s groups that discuss empowerment, the importance of education, and women’s rights.

In New York, The Adventure Project, an organization that focuses on a single issue each quarter,  is raising money for Rati and Water Aid. Their ‘Keep it Clean’ campaign has teamed up with CleanGetawaySoap Co. in Denver, Co.

Rati and the women of India need your help. I urge you to read more about this excellent program to deliver the most fundamental resource to daily life on our planet: water. Anne

tip via Treehugger