Water scarcity has become an issue in certain regions of India. Many women needed to travel a far distance to get water from their village pond and bring it back home. This has taken away a lot of time and caused a lot of distress for those who are traveling. This issue has greatly impacted many women’s lives and duties including Gavra’s.
Gavra grew up in a small hut in a village in Rajasthan, India. She would travel to the Naadi nearby. A Naadi is a village pond that collects rainwater that is stored and ready to use when maintained. When a Naadi is not maintained, it gets harder to collect rainwater over the years. In Rajasthan, it only rains once every month which water has become a great issue in the village.
Gavra would walk five times a day with her kids to collect water in pots above her head that weighed around 45 lbs. She would sometimes wake up extra early at 3:00 am to ensure that she gets the water and still be able to do the other household duties she has. Oftentimes, Gavra and her family found herself not having enough water for several days. She was often filled with worry about when and how she could get the water.
A Taanka was built near Gavra’s home by WomenServe. A Taanka is a 20,000 liter water storage tank that collects and stores rainwater for up to 6 months. Ever since the Taanka has been built, Gavra has had enough water to grow crops and give enough food and water to her whole family. She also has gained back 10 hrs from walking to which she spends her time at a government school job and selling cow ghee. Gavra is happy that she can now spend time building a better life for her family.
WomenServe’s mission is to help empower women in Rajasthan with education, health, and economic security. The nonprofit organization has helped build over 500 Taankas and helped maintain 9 Naadi’s so women don’t need to walk the long distance to provide enough water for their families. They have helped many women get an education and find an economic opportunity as they did with Gavra. You can help many women like Gavra by donating in the link below.