Programmes manager volunteer roles in nampula, cidade de nampula

Africa Access Water

We equip rural communities in Zambia and Africa with solar-powered water infrastructure and systems for productive use, food security, and socio-economic development.

Africa Access Water is committed to addressing several critical social and environmental challenges that disproportionately affect rural communities across Zambia and Africa using one model. These challenges include:

1. Water Scarcity: Millions of people in rural Africa, particularly in Zambia, face limited access to clean, reliable water sources. This scarcity forces communities to rely on unsafe water, leading to waterborne diseases, poor health outcomes, and time-consuming water collection that limits productivity and social development. Africa Access Water aims to provide sustainable, solar-powered water infrastructure that ensures year-round access to clean drinking water, improving health and overall well-being.

2. Food Insecurity: Agricultural productivity in rural areas is often hampered by unreliable access to water, droughts and dependent on rainfed, leading to poor crop yields and seasonal food shortages. With our solar-powered irrigation systems, we aim to enable year-round farming, increasing food security and supporting local economies. By providing communities with access to water for agricultural use, we help increase crop yields, promote sustainable farming practices, and ensure a consistent food supply for families.

3. Rural Poverty: Rural communities in Zambia and other parts of Africa face high levels of poverty of upto 82%, often exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure and economic opportunities. By providing solar-powered water solutions, we empower communities to develop productive livelihoods, enhance economic activity through agricultural systems, and create income-generating opportunities. Our goal is to foster socio-economic development by providing water for both domestic use and agricultural production, which boosts local economies and supports small-scale farmers.

4. Environmental Sustainability: Traditional water extraction methods, such as manual pumping or reliance on non-renewable energy sources, can contribute to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Africa Access Water addresses this by using solar-powered water systems, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the transition to clean, renewable energy. Additionally, we promote sustainable agricultural practices that improve land productivity while protecting the environment.

5. Gender Inequality and Social Inclusion: In many rural communities, women and girls are responsible for fetching water, often spending several hours each day on this task. This reduces their opportunities for education, economic participation, and personal development. By providing communities with accessible water infrastructure, Africa Access Water aims to reduce the time spent on water collection, allowing women and girls more time for education, work, and community leadership. Our projects also prioritize community involvement, ensuring that marginalized groups, including women and youth, have a voice in decision-making processes.

Through these efforts, Africa Access Water is addressing the social and environmental challenges of water scarcity, food insecurity, rural poverty, environmental degradation, and gender inequality, creating sustainable solutions that foster community development and resilience.

Africa Access Water was founded to address the critical issues of rural poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to water infrastructure that stifles economic growth in Africa’s underserved communities. By leveraging sustainable water solutions such as solar powered water infrastructure and systems, we aim to transform poor community communal land into productive hubs that drive rural economies. Our innovative model integrates solar powered water infrastructure development with agricultural systems, enabling year-round food production and income generation. This is evident from our pilot project in Zambia.

We prioritize community ownership, ensuring local engagement in the planning, implementation, and management of water resources. By utilizing climate-smart irrigation technologies, we not only boost crop yields but also mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall and droughts- we say climate change. This approach fosters food security, promotes self-reliance, and stimulates micro-enterprise development.

Africa Access Water stands out by creating sustainable ecosystems that transform rural communities into thriving economies while addressing the root causes of poverty.

Fundraising Officer

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Fundraising Officers (AfAW HQ Africa and US fundraising Office)

1. Fundraising Strategy: implement a diversified fundraising strategy, including grants, donor networks, and innovative financing models to support the organization’s mission.

2. Online and Recurring Donors: Build a strong network of individual donors through the online donation platform, encouraging one-time and recurring contributions with targeted campaigns and impactful storytelling.

3. Foundation Partnerships: Identify and secure grants from foundations for unrestricted funding and program-specific needs, fostering long-term relationships with key donors.

4. Sustainability Funding: Develop strategies to secure funds for sustainability initiatives like a commercial farm and a water drilling rig through social enterprises, partnerships, and investments.

Branding and Messaging: Collaborate with the team to ensure alignment between fundraising messages and the organization’s bold branding and transformative goals.

This role ensures Africa Access Water’s financial sustainability and growth by leveraging online platforms, donor networks, and partnerships to transform lives through sustainable solar powered water infrastructure and solutions for productive use, food security, increased income and improved livelihoods.

Weekly Time Commitment

10+ hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

6+ months

At a time when we are experiencing the largest reforms to the welfare rights system in a generation, we believe this is an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in welfare rights work, to join a respected organisation working at the forefront of the advice sector.

The Welfare Benefits Unit offers specialist welfare benefits advice to those who work with members of the public. Our experienced advisers provide independent support through our advice line, publications, training, consultancy, campaigns and projects.

The Welfare Benefits Unit aims to maximise benefit take-up, helping to reduce the incidence and impact of poverty and in doing so improve health, well-being, financial and social inclusion. We are a registered charity based in York. We primarily operate in North Yorkshire and York although some of our services are accessed by organisations working further afield. 

We continue to aim towards a board that reflects the populations we work to support, and as such, welcome individuals from diverse ethnic communities, LGBTQIA+ groups, as well as younger people, those with disabilities, and those who have lived experience of the welfare benefits system.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

We welcome and support applications from those new to being a Trustee. We also know that studies have shown some people are less likely to apply for positions unless they believe meet every requirement in the description. The most important thing for us is to find Trustees that connect with our values and who can readily buy into our mission. Though we have suggested skills and experience areas below, which would be keen to hear from, we’re eager to meet people that believe in our mission and can contribute to our board in a variety of ways – not just candidates who tick all the boxes.

We’re keen to add these areas of skills and experience to our board:

• Financial, legal or HR matters (especially as they may apply to a small charity)
• Expertise in marketing, digital or similar technological areas
• Welfare benefits system and welfare rights advice or lived experience.

About the Role

All Trustee positions are voluntary with reasonable expenses remunerated. To be an effective Trustee, you will need to commit up to 1-2 days per quarter to attend and prepare for board meetings which are held virtually.

Effective Trustees support our work by:

• ensuring we are working towards our vision, mission and values in everything we do
• ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources, maintaining proper financial and regulatory oversight and best practice as a charity
• approving the annual budget, and supporting strategic decision-making by actively contributing advice and guidance
• appointing key personnel such as the Chief Executive, and determining pay and conditions for the wider team
• constructively guide the Senior Leadership Team in the delivery of the organisation’s strategy
• actively representing and championing the work of the Welfare Benefits Unit.