Women Helping Women: The Voss Foundation

The Voss Foundation started a campaign called 'Women Helping Women' due to the needs of women in Sub-Saharan African Villages described below.  This an International grassroots campaign where the Voss Foundation creates water filtration systems in these villages in Africa where the water is unsafe to drink and the girls and women have to hike miles just to get water for their families.  Here in the US, we are so lucky and sometimes take for granted that we always have safe - drinkable water for our families in our own homes. 

"Rural women and girls [in Africa] can walk up to 10 miles a day, carrying as much as 44 lbs. of water for their families. Girls are frequently taken out of school or prohibited from attending classes altogether as their families’ need for water increases. The need to fetch water often precludes education and employment, obliterating opportunity for female empowerment. Additionally, women’s health and hygiene needs are particularly compromised by a lack of water and sanitation. With facilitated access to clean water, women and girls are able to continue schooling, earn an income, and live healthier and more productive lives.  Women Helping Women (or Kvinner Hjelper Kvinner) is a Voss Foundation campaign that has brought together more than 300 women in 7 countries to raise over $125,000 for clean water projects." (From Voss Foundations's Website) www.thevossfoundation.org  

Here are some photos taken by my friend, Kara Gerson, The Executive Director of the Voss Foundation, during The Voss Foundation's trip to Kenya this year.

Water holes dug in the lugga where the Samburu people walk
10 miles to get their water.  

As you can see, it's not very clean water!

 

The Voss Foundation Staff and
Norwegian Kvinner Hjelper Kvinner (Women Helping Women) donors visit the village

They built a filtration system in the village!  Kara Gerson, of the Voss Foundation turning on the tap of this new well for the 1st time!

Clean Water in their own Village straight from a tap!

Women drinking their filtered water!

Women from 5 different villages came to perform

A child in his mothers arms as she fills up water

The School Children were so excited to see the Voss team!

The Sambura people were so thankful, that they dressed the
Voss Foundation with many gifts!

An Elder from the village had to come see for herself!
She didn't believe that these ladies were bringing clean water to Ndonyo Nasipa

Finally clean, filtered water available in their village!  Samburu Women are now able to focus on their schooling, careers and taking care of their families instead of having to walk 10 miles to collect water for their village.

They were also thanked with Speeches and Dances!

I hope this affects you the way it affected me!  Please let your Boston friends know about the following event on June 9th for Women Helping Women so Voss can continue to build these wells and water filtration systems in many more villages!

'Women Helping Women' The Voss Foundation's Boston Fundraiser

Thursday June 9th 6-8p

Woodward at Ames

1 Court Street

Boston, MA

Order your Tickets here: 

http://www.thevossfoundation.org/women-helping-women-boston-june-9-2011/

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