Gender Equity

Abundant Water and Energy for Women's Lives

Families in rural, remote, and hill tribe regions of developing countries are largely reliant on wood fuels for cooking and sanitation. And the primary gatherers of cooking fuel, water, and fodder are women and children.

Yet, each day, they are traveling greater distances as forests and streams retreat at an alarming rate. The situation is aggravated by the inefficient use of wood fuels and the significant loss of agricultural productivity due to the diversification of crops and animal wastes from fertilizer to cooking and heating functions.

Since water and fuel gathering takes hours each day, the illiteracy rates among women and girls in these households can reach 90%.

The strong connection between gender equity and access to abundant water and energy resources is undeniable.

The connection between the negative health impacts and shortened lives that result from inefficient use of household fuels further weakens the family structure of already fragile households.

NRGmagnet President and Founder, Lisa Surprenant, has developed a collaborative approach to the problems faced by women in developing countries.

She has experience in creating relevant, non-threatening water and energy programs through which women can gain self-esteem, knowledge, and more control of their lives through increased time, health, and money.

With projects in more than 21 countries worldwide, she brings vast experience to any nascent program.

Whether a country is seeking to create a new program aimed at increased gender equity, or adding practical advice and training to primary energy gatherers and users, partners around the world gain a valuable project consultant who provides sound, practical advice that gives proven metrics.