“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in our absence.”
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and Founder of LeanIn.org
At this year’s
Stockholm World Water Week, the
Women in Water and Sanitation Network, the
Women for Water Partnership and the
African Women Sanitation Professionals Network teamed up to host a mentoring session over breakfast. Keynote speakers, Dr. Barbara Senkwe and Joan Rose, spoke on their professional paths and where they would like to see the sector head. Then the two women plus seven other leaders in the water and sanitation sector led table discussions sharing their experiences of being a woman in the field and what they believe others could learn from their journey. Fostering these mentor-mentee relationships between women with experience, insight and success and women learning and looking forward to the work and projects in water and sanitation is how the industry can welcome and encourage women to dive in and serve globally.
The event provided a space for sharing and discussion in the middle of a busy and impactful Stockholm World Water Week conference. At the end of the event, a lot of women noted they wish there was more time for the small group discussions as there is more to be said and shared. We see this as a promising journey for the Women in Water and Sanitation Network and an exciting sneak peak into what future events can be held! Anytime a place for women to connect is created is magic and we are only just getting the ball rolling.
We would like to thank the organizations who hosted the group of women and created the space and the attendees who participated showing we are only stronger together.
Wambui Gichuri is the Director of
Water Development and Sanitation at the African Development Bank and became the
Africa bank’s first female toilet director. Gichuri shared her extensive global knowledge from working in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. She has leveraged her background and degrees in business and economics to catalyse WaSH initiatives globally through roles like project manager and deputy research director and the Business and Economics Research Company in Kenya.
Esther de Vreede serves as
Director of Programmes at
Simavi, an international NGO implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene projects and sexual and reproductive health programmes in ten countries to empower women and girls by providing the tools to lead a healthy life. She has also worked for Swiss Water & Sanitation NGO Consortium, Caritas Switzerland, IRC WASH and Oxfam Novib.
Dr. Barbara Kazimbaya-Senkwe,
Knowledge Management and Communications Lead for
USAID’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene Finance program, has worked globally from Zambia to Nepal to South Africa. Dr. Senkwe works to close financial gaps usually inhibiting WASH projects. Barbara is a keen researcher and author with an interest in municipal services provision. She is also part of the African Women Sanitation Professional Network, a network that aims to empower African women working in the sector.
Joan B. Rose, the
Homer Nowlin Chair in
Water Research at Michigan State University’s, is a renowned water expert focusing in microbiology, water quality and public health impacts and safety. Currently, she is in partnership with UNESCO to head spear the Global Water Pathogens Project and is the Vice Chair of the US National Committee for the IWA. Her global experience includes research on waterborne disease and the study of water supplies, treatment and reclamation in places like Singapore.
Susanne Dorasil is currently the
Head of Division Water, urban development, mobility at the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. She served as German co-facilitator of the G20 development pillar on Private Investment and Job Creation and as German co-chair of the Sub–group on SME Finance of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion. Dorasil shared her leadership experiences in a multitude of roles like Senior Advisor to the German Executive Director at the World Bank Group, Deputy Head of the Central Africa, West Africa II, Madagascar Division, and Deputy Head of the Legal Division.
Michaela Miletto, the
Deputy Coordinator of the World Water Assessment Programme at
UNESCO, is a technical expert in assessment, development and management of water resources as well as geothermal energy and environment. Miletto has been an integral part of implementation projects in the Mediterranean, the USA, Europe, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Eastern Africa and China. She also served as an Associate Professor at the University of Turin in their Department of Earth Sciences.
Dr. Rose Kaggwa is now the
Director of Business and Scientific Services in
Nation Water Sewage Corporation. Dr. Kaggwa has collaborated and fostered partnerships all over the world like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Trinidad and Tobago and India. Combining her extensive experience and passion for women’s empowerment, she is the patron for gender in the Ugandan National Water and Sewerage Corporation, sits on the IWA committee for Women in Water and is the vice president of the African Water Association Scientific and Technical committee.
Lesha Witmer, an independent senior consultant on water governance and gender-issues related to water, is the founding and former steering committee member of
Women for Water Partnership and has served in many different capacities for the organization. Witmer has fused her background in law, leadership drive and passion for women’s issues to serve as a co-facilitator for the European Pact for Water, UN representative of Business & Professional Women International, member of the Chamber of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Council and special advisor and campaigner for the World Wildlife Fund.
Ulla Elisabeth Madsen is on the
Board of Directors for
Soroptimist International of Europe and Soroptimist International, a global network of working women fighting for women and girls’ rights. Recently she was elected the SI Assistant Director of Advocacy. Previously she served as President of the Soroptimist International of Europe and held a board position of UNICEF Denmark. Sustainable Development and thematic issues such as the environment, and violence against women and girls were and continue to remain, close to her heart.
📅 19 June 2025
🕑 02:30 p.m. CEST (14:30 Paris time)
💻 Format: Online
🙂 WWSN members + friends, women only
Register here
Without a set topic, this will be a space for open conversations beyond our usual work roles. To help guide discussions, we’ll provide a few light prompts to support meaningful exchanges—whether you're reconnecting with familiar faces or meeting new members for the first time.
Additionally, in a second part, we would also like on a side-track present to you the volunteering opportunities at WWSN.
What to Expect
Our virtual Meet & Greet feature multiple small-group breakouts (2–3 people) designed to help you get to know others more personally and authentically. We encourage you to follow up with those you meet and grow your network of supportive peers across the sector.
Who Can Join?
This event is open to all members of the WWSN family. If you’re a woman working on water and sanitation issues and would like to get involved, join the virtual meeting!
Looking forward to seeing you online soon!