More Than Water: Celebrating Women, Leadership, and Change This International Women’s Day

Water is Power

For millions of women and girls, water isn’t just about thirst – it’s about time, opportunity, and dignity. Every day, women and children spend 125 million hours collecting water. In some parts of Africa and Asia, they walk an average of 3.7 miles daily just to fetch water. That’s time lost – time that could be spent earning an income, caring for their children, or simply resting.

But clean water changes everything.

The Heavy Burden on Women and Girls 

Fetching water is a burden that overwhelmingly falls on women and girls. The responsibility starts young – some as early as four – forcing them to sacrifice education, health, and safety. When girls are constantly walking long distances for water, they miss school. They fall behind. Their futures shrink.

When women no longer have to trek for hours carrying heavy containers, they gain time to start businesses, educate their children, and build better futures. Water isn’t just a basic need – it’s a pathway to empowerment.

Liddah's Story: From Struggles to Strength

For Liddah Manyozo, a World Vision technical advisor in Malawi, water is deeply personal. She grew up knowing the struggle firsthand.

“I thought this was just life.”

"I grew up in a remote area. In my community, we would wake up early to walk for water before school. We used a river, but when it dried up, we had to walk to another village.

There were always long queues, and I had a permanent bald spot on my head from where my bucket used to rest.”

Liddah started collecting water at just four years old. As the eldest child, she bore the responsibility of fetching water multiple times a day.

“I had to make sure my sisters cleaned their faces and feet before school. There was never enough water, so that was all we could do – just wash our faces and feet and go.”

The burden of water collection was relentless. It left her exhausted. She was often late for school and struggled to concentrate in class. She saw the same cycle repeated among other girls in her village – forced to put water before education.

A Life Transformed by Clean Water

Everything changed when Liddah moved in with her uncle in town. There, she experienced something life-changing: running water.

“At my uncle’s house, life was completely different. I could wake up, take a bath, eat breakfast, and go to school without worry. That access to clean water allowed me to focus on my education – and it shaped my future.”

Now, Liddah works with World Vision, ensuring communities across Malawi have access to clean water. As part of a drilling team, she’s not just bringing water – she’s bringing dignity, education, and hope.

Daughters of Tomorrow

Since 2016, World Vision has provided over 11 million women and girls with access to clean water. But the impact stretches far beyond those numbers.

When a woman has clean water, her daughter’s life changes. She no longer has to wake up before dawn to carry heavy buckets instead of books. She has the chance to sit in a classroom, dream of a future, and take steps to achieve it.

Her granddaughter’s life changes, too. She will grow up in a home where clean water is a given, not a daily struggle. She will see her mother thrive – earning an income, caring for her family, and leading in her community.

Clean water doesn’t just quench thirst – it restores dignity, unlocks potential, and transforms entire generations.

The Fight Isn't Over

Achieving gender equality may take time, but the ripple effect of clean water is immediate. When women no longer have to spend six hours a day collecting water, they gain the power to change their own lives – and their communities.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the resilience of women like Liddah, who are transforming lives through clean water. At World Vision, we remain committed to ensuring that more women and girls can experience the same life-changing transformation.

Because it’s more than water.

It’s freedom, opportunity, and hope.

Partner with us to bring water to women and girls around the world. Click to learn more.