African Women in WASH Awards

The African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) and the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) organised the first edition of the African Women in WASH Awards, a continental initiative dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the leadership of African women in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector.

Across Africa, women are redefining leadership in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. From managing utilities and innovating technology, to advancing inclusive policies and mobilising communities, women are making critical, measurable contributions to WASH outcomes often in environments with limited support or visibility.

Yet, despite this growing presence, formal recognition of women’s achievements in WASH remains rare at the continental level.

The African Women In WASH Awards (AWIWA) serves as a vital platform for accurate professional representation, ensuring that the full breadth of female contribution to the sector is duly recognised and profiled. By bringing these often-overlooked achievements into the spotlight, we provide the tangible evidence of excellence required to foster trust, inspire the next generation, and secure strategic investment in gender responsive and women-led innovation.

 

AWARD CATEGORIES 

  • Top Woman in WASH Leadership Award: Celebrates exceptional leadership driving transformation across water, sanitation, and hygiene systems.
  • Inclusive Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award: Honours women-led solutions that are affordable, scalable, and designed for marginalised communities.
  • Indigenous Impact & Grassroots Champion: Recognises women making measurable change at the local level through collective action and service delivery.
  • Policy & Advocacy Trailblazer Award: Highlights those shaping inclusive governance, accountability, and rights-based reforms in the water sector.
  • Youth Rising Star (Under 35): Spotlights emerging leaders advancing equity, climate resilience, and innovation in WASH.
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Pays tribute to enduring contributions that have shaped institutions, inspired generations, and advanced the sector.

 

The 1st African Women in WASH Awards Winners

Africa’s water transformation has always carried the imprint of women’s leadership. Across utilities, ministries, research institutions, enterprises, and community systems, women have strengthened governance, engineered resilience, expanded access, and safeguarded public health- often without continental visibility, but never without impact. On 11 February 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, during the Congress of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA), that leadership was formally and collectively recognised at scale. The Women in Water in Africa Awards mark the first Africa-led continental platform dedicated to elevating the women who are shaping WASH systems across our continent.

See the 1st African Women in WASH Awards Winners Booklet to learn about each of the winners. 

 

Contact Euphresia Luseka (RWSN Leave No One Behind Theme co-lead) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get involved with the Awards.