Water, Sewage & Effluent September-October 2017 | Page 9

SOUTH AFRICA Women in water and related sectors In support of Women’s Month, the Water Research Commission (WRC) and EWSETA hosted a one-day event to showcase entrepreneurship opportunities for women in the water and related sectors, through highlighting case studies of existing enterprises owned and led by women, and introducing entrepreneurship as a post-qualification option to female EWSETA learners. The Women in Water Empowerment Programme’s (WWEP) goal is to provide support to women-owned and led enterprises, to be effective and efficient in delivering water and sanitation- related services to the public. The programme will, among others, target women-owned companies in the fields of research Rebecca Pfarelo Ramugondo (centre) receiving an award from Errol Gradwell (CEO and development (including EWSETA) (on left) and Dhesigen Naidoo (WRC), for her outstanding contribution, technological innovation), science commitment, and support to communities struggling with water challenges. and engineering, construction, and local community initiatives. WWEP’s numerous market opportunities for young women for self- purpose is to facilitate a safe and supportive environment employment, as well as to create jobs for others in the long run. where newly-formed enterprises, especially those from The strategic objectives of the event were to increase previously disadvantaged groups, can start-up and sustain female business ownership in the sector and catalyse female their businesses and access available opportunities in the entrepreneurship through role models and skills training, water and sanitation sector. and to create networking opportunities between female The programme’s cohorts are divided into three groups: entrepreneurs and learners. No one organisation can achieve beginners (women-owned enterprises in business, but all these objectives on their own — hence the creation with no sustainable growth), intermediates (women-owned of a partnership between the WRC and EWSETA. The two enterprises in business, but not as established big enterprises), organisations are committed to capacity and skills development and advanced/established (women-owned enterprises at in the sector, with EWSETA’s special focus being to promote intermediate stages that function as fully-fledged businesses, scarce-skills occupational learning pathways through career but require additional support to take their businesses to the guidance initiatives. next level of operation and compete nationally and globally). Together with the WRC’s strategic objective of promoting The programme has three projects whereby cohorts are co-ordination, co-operation, and communication around water selected for participation. These are: research and development, this partnership will assist the • Women in Water Entrepreneurship Incubator Project transformation of the equity profile of the sector, particularly in (WWEIP), targeted strictly at women-owned enterprises professional and technical occupations. from the cohorts; Beyond institutional partnerships, the WRC also values • Women in Water Mentorship Project (WWMP), targeted at partnerships with communities who do extr aordinary work in both women professionals and women-owned enterprises the management of water resources. The WRC recognises the from the cohorts; and role played by ordinary citizens, particularly women in rural • Women in Water Forum Project (WWFP), a dialogue space areas, who give up so much of their time on a voluntary basis, where women professionals and entrepreneurs can with little or no support, in the management of their water interact, network, and strategise about amplifying their resources. One such woman is Rebecca Pfarelo Ramugondo voice in the water and sanitation sector, provide support from Ha-Makhuvha Village, 25km east of Thohoyandou, to one another, and make inputs on how to strengthen the Limpopo. Ramugondo is a leader of Tshikofokofo Adopt-A-River programme. project, made up of volunteers comprising mostly women, as well as people with disabilities, youth, and some men, who This is part of a sector-wide effort to address the gender clean and care for rivers in the 19 villages in and around imparity highlighted in the EWSETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP), Ha-Makhuvha. among others, and a direct response to the transformational As a token of acknowledgement and appreciation for imperatives enshrined in the National Skills Development this act of selflessness, the WRC presented Rebecca Pfarelo Strategy (NSDS) III. In the same vein, EWSETA supports young Ramugondo with an award at the event celebrating Women’s female learners to enter the entrepreneurial space. Currently, Month, recognising her contribution to enterprise development most people in formal employment are employed by small in the water sector. u or medium enterprises (SMEs), and the water sector offers Water Sewage & Effluent September/October 2017 7