WOMEN POWERING PROGRESS
LEVERAGING WATER FOR PEACE.
Author: Bacha Kites, WASH Business Capacity Lead, PSI Ethiopia and Mekdim Hailu, Project Communication Manager, PSI Ethiopia
In the quiet streets of Kombolcha, Western Oromia, Ethiopia, a small workshop is bustling with activity. Here, Asnaku Tsehay molds, with her own hands, concrete slabs into SATO pans that she will later sell and install in homes and businesses in her community. The 48-year-old mason is a promising sanitation entrepreneur.
Kombolcha was once a thriving hub for USAID’s Transform Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project or T/WASH, implemented by PSI Ethiopia. It is recognized for its market-based approach to sanitation, bringing together local entrepreneurs, government agencies, and the community to provide affordable quality WASH products and services. However, the city now lies within a conflict zone, leading to the suspension of project operations. This conflict has displaced millions of people, devastated businesses, and exacerbated healthcare challenges, particularly for vulnerable groups like children and women facing increased disease risks.
T/WASH selected Asnaku as a manufacturer in 2019. She underwent extensive training in sanitation product manufacturing, toilet construction, and sales techniques. With support from the project, including marketing materials, registration assistance, and a business expansion loan facilitated by local organizations, she secured a production facility and equipment.
Beyond accompanying entrepreneurs, T/WASH is working to tackle gender disparities in the WASH sector. Recognizing the burden women bear in managing household hygiene, the project actively engages them in market-based sanitation, training them as mason installers, sales agents, and retailers. Asnaku is proof of this effort, breaking barriers and demonstrating that women can excel in traditionally male-dominated fields, even amidst ongoing conflicts.
Despite periodic closures during active conflicts, Asnaku remains committed to her craft. She employs the T/WASH Decision Quotient (DQ) Sales approach, a strategy centered on engaging customers in meaningful conversations to address their needs. By adopting this technique, she has surpassed the sales of many male counterparts, selling over 1,187 SATO pans. This underscores the essential contribution women make in economies facing conflict. By engaging women in the WASH sector, the project fosters economic independence, enabling them to support their families and communities.
Asnaku’s journey epitomizes the broader impact of T/WASH. With the dedication of trained local partners, including women, the project has made significant strides, selling over 197,685 sanitation products and reaching more than 828,000 individuals since its inception.
The importance of WASH in areas like Kombolcha cannot be overstated. Local entrepreneurs like Asnaku exemplify how actively involving women in the WASHt sector is necessary, and key to making a significant impact. Their participation improves access to essential resources while uplifting families and communities.
Asnaku’s impact transcends mere numbers; as a mason installer, she constructs improved toilets with her hands, shaping not just concrete but a healthier future.
