Water, Health & Women's Empowerment- Guinea Bissau

In GuineaBissau, the rainy season brings isolation, flooding, and higher risks to water, sanitation, health, and food security. Women in remote villages face the greatest burden as caregivers, water collectors, and food producers. WellFound works to train and support women so they can manage these seasonal shocks and protect their communities.

Key RainySeason Challenges

When rains are heavy, shallow wells flood and pumps break down, forcing families to use unsafe water sources. Latrines collapse in waterlogged soils, and menstrual hygiene becomes difficult to manage. Illnesses such as diarrhoea, cholera, and malaria rise, while poor road access prevents families from reaching clinics. Flooded gardens spoil crops and stored grains rot, leaving households with food shortages. The season also deepens isolation, increasing risks of genderbased violence and keeping many girls out of school.

How Women Manage These Challenges

Women trained by WellFound lead local solutions. Pump caretakers repair handpumps, clear solar filters, and protect wells with sandbags, ensuring water remains safe. WASH Champions reinforce latrines, promote handwashing, and distribute reusable menstrual pads. They also teach families to prepare oral rehydration solutions and refer severe cases to health posts. Garden leaders raise beds, add drainage, and plant floodtolerant crops such as cassava and okra. They use drying racks to reduce spoilage and organise seed saving for future planting. Women treasurers manage savings groups, releasing emergency funds for urgent repairs, clinic visits, or food purchases, helping families survive periods of isolation.

How WellFound Assists and Upskills Women

WellFound provides training pathways that build women’s skills and leadership. WASH Champions learn hygiene promotion and outbreak response, pump caretakers gain maintenance and repair knowledge, garden leaders adopt climateresilient practices, and treasurers strengthen financial management. Before the rains, women prepare by stockpiling chlorine, reinforcing latrines, and mapping risks. During the season, they coordinate repairs and hygiene campaigns. Afterward, they reflect and adjust plans. WellFound also supplies toolkits, watertesting kits, seeds, and small grants, while linking women to district health and water services for faster response and recognition of their leadership.

Results Observed

Water points are repaired more quickly, reducing service interruptions. Families report fewer diarrhoea cases where women promote water treatment. Raised garden beds and floodtolerant crops maintain food supplies, improving nutrition even during floods. Savings groups provide emergency support, preventing families from selling assets in desperation. Women’s confidence and leadership have grown, with girls more involved in hygiene and nutrition activities.

Conclusion

The rainy season in GuineaBissau will always bring difficulties, but WellFoundtrained women are showing that these challenges can be managed locally. With the right skills, tools, and financial support, women keep water safe, gardens productive, and families healthier during the toughest months of the year.

Introduction
In the regions of Gabu and Bafatá in Guinea Bissau, women are emerging as key drivers of sustainable development through their leadership in market garden activities. Amidst economic challenges and limited infrastructure, local women have established thriving agricultural initiatives that not only ensure food security for their families but also benefit the wider community. This report outlines the progress, impact, and sustainable practices embedded within these grassroots initiatives.

Women Leading the Way in Sustainability
Women in Gabu and Bafatá have taken proactive steps to transform small plots of land into productive market gardens. Utilizing organic methods and local knowledge, they are cultivating a wide variety of vegetables, including okra, lettuce, peppers, onions, and leafy greens. These gardens have become lifelines for communities, reducing dependency on external aid and providing daily nutrition.

Their leadership goes beyond cultivation—women are organizing themselves into cooperatives, managing shared resources, keeping financial records, and establishing clear roles within their teams. They are not only growing crops, but also growing confidence, capacity, and community.

Family and Community Support
A crucial element of this sustainable model is the involvement of partners and children. Men in these regions, traditionally not involved in gardening, are now supporting their wives and community members through land preparation, water collection, and transportation of produce to markets. Children are also participating, learning agricultural techniques, and gaining an appreciation for sustainable food systems.

This multigenerational involvement fosters resilience, encourages intergenerational learning, and promotes collective responsibility for community well-being.

Donation to Schools: A Model of Collective Prosperity
An inspiring component of this initiative is the donation of excess produce to local schools. Women-led groups have established informal agreements with school leaders to provide vegetables on a weekly basis, supporting school feeding programs and improving children's nutrition. This initiative not only strengthens the bond between communities and schools but also exemplifies a self-sustaining, mutually beneficial system.

The produce donations have led to higher attendance rates, improved concentration among students, and a strong sense of pride among women farmers.

Sustainability Measures
To ensure the longevity and independence of these projects, several sustainability measures have been adopted:

Water Access: Wells and small-scale irrigation systems have been installed to ensure year-round cultivation.

Training: Women receive training in climate-resilient farming, composting, seed-saving, and natural pest control.

Community Structures: Village committees oversee the maintenance and coordination of garden spaces.

Income Diversification: Surplus vegetables are sold in local markets, with profits reinvested into education, health, and garden expansion.

Conclusion
The women of Gabu and Bafatá are not only cultivating food—they are cultivating a future rooted in sustainability, cooperation, and empowerment. With the support of their families and communities, they have created a model that ensures food security, boosts local economies, and promotes a sense of ownership and dignity. Their actions serve as a testament to the power of women-led solutions in driving sustainable development.