Woman of the Month: Katie Alcott MBE

I am pleased to introduce you to April's Woman of the Month - the ever-inspiring Katie Alcott MBE, Founder & CEO of the charity Frank Water. Having spent several months teaching in Northern India, where she contracted dysentery from drinking dirty water, Katie was driven to make a change. In 2005, Katie founded Frank Water, initially raising money by selling bottled spring water in the UK to fund innovative and sustainable clean water projects in India.

Now, 16 years later, Katie has won multiple awards for social entrepreneurship, and Frank Water has provided safe, clean water, handwashing and good hygiene for an incredible 426, 459 people in 617 communities across India & Nepal. Hear more about Katie in her own words below.

Who is Katie? 

Sometimes I wonder! I started Frank Water when I was 25, not long out of University, having studied a Fine Arts degree. Even now, 16 years later, despite being labelled a social entrepreneur and change-maker and having won awards to ‘ratify’ these titles as well as notable honours, I often feel like an imposter in some of the situations I find myself in through Frank Water.

I founded Frank Water out of a passion for a cause after the personal experience of falling sick from dirty water and witnessing the impact a lack of access to water has on young girls. I didn’t have a desire to be a social entrepreneur or charity founder. I just wanted to make a difference in the lives of the people I knew were being left behind. Therefore, I guess changemaker is the title I feel most aligned to at the moment.

Besides my business identity, I’m also a wife and mother to three children, who inspire and delight me continuously and ‘challenge’ me occasionally. 

The duplicity of who I am has become more evident over the last year, as it will have for many working parents. Juggling parenting and ‘teaching’ on top of leading Frank Water has meant I have had to transform myself between these roles!

When I’m not working or with my family, I can be found walking the hills with my dogs, being creative with my sewing machine or wild swimming in the rivers and lakes near where I live. 

What are your personal values, and how do they shine in your work? 

I lost my father two years ago, and it was on his passing that I reflected on what I’d learnt from him and my mother. He was very values-driven and impressed on us (his four children) the importance of having the freedom to decide who we were and what we wanted to do with our lives, but he was defiant that we should uphold the following values:

Live and work with positivity and optimism - this is important to me. I’ve always found a positive attitude works wonders for your mental health and the health of the people around you, whilst optimism in regards to the business and situations helps me deal with even the most disappointing news.

Endeavour to bring about equality - This ties in with the previous questions. My work and the work of Frank Water is all about equality.

Collaborate to grow - Being one of four children growing up on a busy farm, our family had to collaborate to make it work, especially in the busy seasons like lambing and harvesting. We were all involved! At work, Frank Water is all about collaboration. We collaborate with communities, with our partners, our funders and volunteers. Frank Water is a collaborative community, and it’s because of this approach to our work, we’ve taken significant steps forward over the last few years, which have helped to inform the sector.

How do you make a positive impact on the lives of women?

It was witnessing the impact of water on girls' opportunities in India that has driven my whole career. I come from a relatively privileged background, so I couldn’t believe that not having access to something as simple as water - a basic human need (and right!), could determine so many girls’ futures. We take water for granted in the UK, as it flows without falter, safe enough to drink, from multiple taps in our homes.

Our work at Frank Water first and foremost impacts the lives of girls and women. Without access to safe water, they spend much of their time walking to collect water, collecting firewood to boil the water to clean it (if they’re aware this is required) and performing household duties. Because of this, they’re not able to attend school and have the opportunities that education can bring. Without toilets and water to wash and clean, they often have to walk to find a safe place to relieve themselves, and when they’re menstruating, they have to stay home as they can’t look after themselves within a school context. 

With water comes health, followed by opportunity. Girls can safely care for themselves and attend school, escaping the drudgery of collecting water. Women can be involved in the economic development of their household with time to work and earn money. With more money and education, so much more is possible.

We also ensure that women take a key role in the water committees that we facilitate in each community. We find this gives women a voice within their communities, giving them the opportunity to come together and the confidence to speak out. Their influence on developments beyond the water is critical, too, and we’ve seen communities flourish where gender equality is balanced.

Why do you think it is important to create equal opportunities?

Because why shouldn’t we all be equal?

It’s not fair that I happened to be born into a farming family in rural England, with safe water on tap and good sanitation from birth. In contrast, another child happened to be born into a farming family in rural India, with no water and certainly no sanitation facilities.

How can we expect people to pull themselves out of the cycle of poverty without access to basic human needs and rights? We are global citizens, and we have a responsibility to help other human beings, wherever they are born.

What have you chosen to challenge?

I believe that women, given the opportunity, can flourish and lead wherever they are born in the world and through our work at Frank Water, we challenge when this is not the case.

I also challenge that big ideas can’t come from small organisations. Small is beautiful and can leverage incredible knowledge and resources. Never underestimate the ability of a small, passionate team to create significant change! 

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

Keep an eye on all Frank Waters socials for updates on our work and how you can get involved to support women and girls in rural areas of India and Nepal.

You can directly support Frank Waters work by making a donation here: frankwater.com/donate

LinkedIn: Katie-Alcott-MBE

Website: frankwater.com

Instagram: @katietalcott & @frank_water_charity

Twitter: @frankwater

Facebook: @frankwatercharity

YouTube: @FrankWaterFilm

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Katie for taking the time to share her thoughtful and insightful responses. I am sure you'll agree that what Katie has achieved in her life and career is incredibly inspiring. I am particularly thrilled to have Katie as my second Awen Woman of the Month, as, alongside Awen Coaching, I am incredibly proud to work part-time as a fundraiser for Frank Water.

Bethany, Founder | Awen Coaching