Sacha de Boer pictures women who fight against the watercrisis
The water crisis is a crisis of inequality: drought, flooding, and polluted water have a major impact on the lives of women and girls. To document this problem and capture the stories of women and girls, photographer and visual storyteller Sacha de Boer traveled to Kajiado County in Kenya and West Timor in Indonesia. In Indonesia, in Kenya—everywhere she went—she heard the same message:
“We know what it takes. Help us gain the power, the resources, and the recognition to do it.”
The activists from Malaka
In the Malaka Region, one of Indonesia's driest regions, women bear the brunt of water scarcity. Walking half an hour through the jungle with five five-liter jerrycans of water is a daily reality for many women. Yet, awareness that water is a human right is growing. Led by activists like Finsensia and Mama Mea, women are organizing in groups and discussing solutions. They are also raising funds to help each other with things like their own water tanks and engaging with local governments. They are active, showing solidarity, and collectively demanding their rights.
Women's groups in Kenya
The first requirement for improving the position of women? According to Agnes Bene, it's better access to water. In Kajiado County, Kenya, drought is a persistent problem, and women spend hours every day fetching water. That's why she's working with her Ngape women's group on solutions to the water problem. One example is a tokenized, solar-powered water system that allows women to collect water close to home for a fair price.
About Sacha de Boer
Sacha de Boer is a visual storyteller. For 20 years, she has traveled the world documenting the impact of climate change. The role of women and girls is often a common thread throughout her work. For Simavi, she traveled to Kenya and Indonesia to document the impact of the water crisis on women and girls.
