National Women's Movement Factsheet
- Founded in 1982
- WfWP member since 2006
- Mission: To be a flexible, innovative, resourceful and technologically advanced bureau for the provision of services of the highest quality in the sphere of sustainable community development and of gender and development. The mission is based on a functional partnership between the NVB and the communities or organizations that it serves, ensuring improved quality of life, gender equality and gender equity throughout the communities of Suriname.
- Focus area: Suriname
- Level: Basin, Local, National, Regional, International
- Main themes: Economic empowerment, Capacity strengthening of women’s (community) groups, Promotion of women’s rights, Networking, Ethnic groups, Sustainable sanitation, Sustainable waste management, Drinking Water quality, Hygiene, Community development, Youth involvement, Women’s Entrepreneurship, Gender mainstreaming
Milestones
The NVB is an independent non-governmental organization, founded in 1982 as a membership organization and operated as a voluntary organization for 13 years. Since 1996 the NVB entered a stage of professionalism, establishing the NVB Bureau and providing services to NGO’s, CBO’s, government and individuals (women and men), which developed a successful methodology for sustainable (community) development, using participatory techniques. Based on the structural financial economic crisis in the country, the NVB aims at expanding the possibilities of women and their families to deal with poverty in a sustainable way and increase their access to resources and incomes, among other means through:
- The promotion of female entrepreneurship, i.e. increasing the access of women (micro) entrepreneurs to knowledge, information, technology, credit, land and markets
- Increase of the participation of women in non-traditional female occupations
- Strengthen the capacity of women in the interior to increase their food production and to enter into meaningful economic activities and business, which improve their position and their quality of life
- Strengthening the capacity of women in management and leadership and in decision-making
The NVB programme Water and Sanitation started in 2008 in the remote and isolated northern part of Suriname. The need for safe drinking water, sustainable sanitation and waste management became apparent after consultation with local communities. First steps to tackle their needs was the development of ecotoilets. These ecotoilets were built in seven villages. Simultaneously another pilot was developed: exploring the re-use of urine and faeces for agriculture. Studies were conducted on composting faeces and managing other forms of waste and the purification of household water. Initially, villagers did not have faith in the plans, yet after several workshops and consultations, their reluctance was replaced by enthusiasm and motivation. Over the years, these remote villages gained access to safe drinking water, ecotoilets and were able to effectively re-use their waste. Via close collaboration of local authorities, women groups, water companies the plans proved to be a success, these seven villages now have 130 toilets. Water committees now ensure that the water facilities are maintained. Nearby villages saw the effects and up to today NVB receives requests to support these villages as well.
Ko Fiti Soap Factory
NVB is active in the villages Godo and Solang since 2006. NVB supports projects of women in these villages to empower these women and the local women group. Activities were mainly aimed at increasing entrepreneurial skills and their economic independence through capacity development. In 2008 the initiative was taken to develop a soap factory in collaboration with the women group Hoi Tanga, with support of the small grants programme of UNDP.
For more information visit the NVB website: www.nvbsuriname.com
