Introducing the “fontainières” who manage the drinking water supply in Burkina Faso and Benin

At the standpipes of rural and semi-rural drinking water supply systems in West Africa, “fontainières” are responsible for charging users for water. These women therefore play a key role in the provision of drinking water, yet they occupy a menial, almost invisible place in water access systems, and remain for the most part mere labourers with tiny incomes. However, in areas where the use of these water supply systems is greater, some of them take a more active role and manage to generate greater income from this activity. The most proactive take various measures to increase their remuneration, but the capacity for them to improve their situation is limited.