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The Community ComesForth

Editedby:

JosephHalder

LIBRARY IRCP0 Box 93190, 2509 AD ThE HAGUE

Tel.: ÷3170 30 689 80Fax: +31 7035 89964

BARCODE: ~3~3

NGO FORUMFor Drinking WaterSupply& Sanitation

First publishedDecember1998© NGOForumfor Drinking WaterSupply& Sanitation

All rights reserved.No partof this publicationmaybe reproducedortranslatedin any form or by any meanswithout prior permissioninwriting from thepublisher.

ISBN 984-31-0318-1

StudyConduction

EditorialAssistanceCoverDesign

PrintingSupervisionComputerCompose

Publishedby:

Printedby:DanaPrinters

SanchiaNishatChowdhuryMoIlah AmzadHossainLubnaYasmeenSahaDipak KumarAbul KalamWaresulHaqueMazedulHoqueProdhan

NGOForumfor Drinking WaterSupply& Sanitation4/6, Block-E,Lalmatia,Dhaka-1207,Bangladesh

Contents

Foreword 4

Preface 6

NGO ForumMakesIt A SynergisticEffort 11

Sticksto Build A House 18

The Child is Sometimesthe Fatherof theMan 28

RaindropsKeepFalling to Fill the TanksandQuenchtheThirst 37

VDC: Meansto Holistic Progress 42

PSFMakesFilthy Pond-Water100%Safe 48

What thePeopleSay 52

Iron RemovalPlantBecomingPopular 61

UnitedWe Stand... 65

ArsenicTurns Pump-Waterinto Villain or Victim? 77

FOREWORD

The ultimate frontier of the Forum’s activities is theunderservedand unservedareasin termsof safewater supply,hygienic sanitationand personalhygiene.Through a country-wide network of 533 partner NGOs and CBOs the Forumextendsthe WatSansupportservicesto the grassrootspeople.The support servicesconsistof both hardwareand software.This integratedservicepackageis directedtowardscreatingasustainabledevelopmentin the WatSansector in the ruralBangladesh.

By inching its contribution in the sectorthe Forum hascomeacross a markable number of positive experiences. Thepublication of the Booklet is NGO Forum’s continuousinitiative to bring someof themto light to sharethosewith thestakeholders.This publication is an attemptto focus light on anumberof experiencesin the rural water supply and sanitationsector. This is just a moderate fraction of the numerousinstances,which theForumhassofar comeacross.

The partnerorganizationsand their implementingstaff are theactivecomradesandshareholdersin the achievementsofNGOForum. This Book becomesa documentarynoteoftheworkingprocess,progressand the ultimate result achievedby NGOForum in communion with its partners and the grassrootspeople.The rural peoplewith their openand importantviewsandopinionsbecomethecentreof focusin this publication.

I thankand expressmy gratitudeto the grassrootspeopleandpartnerNGOs for their valuablecontributionwho arethe mostimportantand inseparablepart of NGO Forum’s efforts. Myspecial thanks to Ms. SanchiaNishat Chowdhury and Mr.MollahAmzadHossainwho employedtheirvaluableefforts in

4

conducting the cases through discussion with people fromdifferent sectsandin highlightingtheauthenticpictures.All ourcolleaguesdeservemy thanks for theiruntiredcooperationforpublishingthis Book.

I believethis Book will disclosesomeofNGOForum’sWatSansuccessandphilosophyto thepotentialstakeholders.

S.M.A. RashidDirectorNGOForum for Drinking Water Supply& Sanitation -

5

PREFACE

Waterand Sanitation(WatSan)is a very importantsectorin thedevelopmentarena.In thegrim WatSanscenarioofBangladesh,the needfor developmentin this sectoris still apriority areaas =

regardstheoveralldevelopmentof thecountry.

NGO Forum as the apex networking organization of theimplementingNGOsandCBOsin WatSansectorextendsits allout effort to play a very effective role in ensuringsustainabledevelopmentin theWatSansector.

The grassrootspeopleat the sametime are beneficiariesandalso co-actorsin the developmentarena.Their views opinions,rangeofacceptanceandperceptionarethereforevery importantand of greatimportance.This Book attemptsto accumulateahandful of instancesin the rural WatSansector. This is anattempt to acknowledge the concerted experience andperception of the development initiatives among thebeneficiariesand implementingorganizationsin the WatSansector. What peoplesay and think havebeenconsideredwithdueimportanceandhighlightedaccordinglyin this Book.

Partnershipandnetworkingapproachis the functional mediaofNGO Forum.ThesupportservicesofNGO Forumareprovidedin terms of softwareandhardwareto its partnersto implementWatSanactivities at the grassroots,the ultimate beneficiaries.The harmoniousbalancebetweenthe hardwareand softwaresupportshasbeeneffective to bring a sustainablechangein theWatSanscenarioand in a broadersenseto the overall lifestyleand standardof the rural community. This Book reflects thisfactin differentstories.

6

NGO Forum is very much committed to its vision that allpeopleusehygienic latrines and safewater for all purposesaswell as maintaina hygienepractice.The softwaresupportsofthe Forum include a number of activities. Among themformation of different committeesat the comrhunity level andorganizing discussion forums, meetings with differentcommunitygroupshavebeenprovedvery effective in bringingforth much improvementin the WatSansector.Different typesof training programmesof the Forum areextendedfor humanresourcedevelopmentand technical skill development.Theresourceservice and extensive information in the form ofWatSanData Bank, WatSanNGO Directory, publicationsofnewsletterand booklets,etc. are meantto serve not only thepartnersbut also the non-partnerstakeholders.NGO Forum isawareoftheneedto reachall classesof peoplerangingfrom theultimate beneficiaries to the policy-makers. Thereforenetworkingandadvocacyactivities arealsofacilitatedandmassmediais usedwith the intentionto propelamasssupportfor thesmooth and dynamic implementation of the WatSanprogramme.

The hardwaresupportof NGO Forum is providedthroughthepartnerorganizationsto thecommunityin theforms of physicalmaterialsandinfrastructure.Installationof variouswaterpointsfor safewater coverageand supplying low-costsanitarylatrinethroughthe Village SanitationCentresfor sanitationcoverageare two key componentsofthe integratedWatSanapproachofNGO Forum. The goal of NGO Forum is helping the- nationachieving 100% WatSancoverage.The mechanismhasbeenhighlightedin detailedin somecases.

In the country’s currenthydrogeologicalcondition the gradualdeclining of the groundwatertable hasbecomea threat. Thepresenceof iron, salinity or arsenicis also no less a threat forthe nation. Therefore different technological option for safe

7

water for the community people are consideredwith dueimportanceby NGO Forum.As a resultRain WaterHarvestingSystem(RWHS),PondSandFilter (PSF)or Iron RemovalPlant(IRP) — all thesetechnologicaloptions for the much popularhandpumpsare provided to the community with the hope ofpopularizingthose,and thus mitigate the currentproblemsinthe water supply areaand ensuresaferwater for people.Thepresenceof arsenic in water is a burning questionof todaythreateningthe lives of about fifty millions of people.NGOForumhastakenthe issuevery seriouslyand incorporatedthepossibleoptionswith its activities.

Throughoutits nation-wide networking areas,the Forum hascomeacrossavarietyof experiences.To conveyits shareto thepotentialreadersweeffort to accumulateonly a few ofthoseinthis collection, since it is impossible to collect thoseall. Theexperienceof the Forum glows with thetouchof the colour ofthe views, experiencesand opinions of the grassrootspeopleandalsothepartners.

My thanksandgratitudeareextendedto all thosewho helpedinbringing togetherthe different instancesby picking them upfrom different corners of the country. I would also like toextendmy gratitude and thanks to my colleagueswho havecontributeda lot to makethis Book published.

Our efforts will be satisfiedif this Book provesto be of anyworthto its potentialreaders.

JosephHalderDecember1998,Dhaka

8

NGO Forum Makes ItA SynergisticEffort

The primary focus of NGO Forum’s philosophy is that tosupport implementationof water and sanitation (WatSan)

programmesthroughan integratedapproach.NGO Forumis theonly WatSanorganizationin Bangladesh,i.e. the only NGO towork exclusivelywith the supply of safewaterand sanitation.In this regard, however, it does not work directly with thegrassrootspeopleunlike other organizations,but dependson,and collaborateswith its extensive network of 533 partnerNGOs, other NGOs, the Government, donors, and otherorganizations,to disseminateand implement the informationand technology.In its role as the “apex” body, NGO Forumstrives for effective co-ordination among the partnerorganizationsaswell asthe formulationof favourablesectoralpolicy environment,needs analysis, planning, management,programme formulation, implementation, and developmentassessment.NGO Forum assumesthat by facilitating strongadvocacy and information services, and establishing acollaborativenetwork at the local, national and internationallevels, it will be better able reachits goal of supportingtheWatSansector,and motivating all peopleusehygienic latrineandsafewaterfor all purposes.

In its associationwith its partnerNGOs, theForum’s role is tosupportand help in building theircapacity,thereby,creatinganenvironmentwhereit is possibleto ensuresmoothpromotionofsafewaterandsanitation.It providesnot only financialhelp,butalso,both hardwareand softwaresupportin water supply andsanitation programmes.In addition, training support in thehumanresourceand skills developmentareaon WatSanissuesis providedto thepartners,thecommunitypeople,aswell asthetailor-made coursesto- the non-partnerNGOs. To make the

11

network more effectivethe Forum conductsneed assessmentmeetings, workshops, seminars, and also undertakes thedistributionof communicationmaterialssuchas, newsletters,different type of reports, brochures,etc. The Forum has 533partnerNGOsworking directly at thevillage community level.However, thereare manymore NGOs not affiliated with theForum, and millions more people spread throughout thecountry. The Forum attemptsto collaboratewith the variousNOOs and the governmentto eliminate the discrepancyinprogramme implementing strategies,and ensure the fastestdistribution of safe water and sanitation. Here again, theadvocacyrole of the Forum comesinto play strengtheningthecommunicationand networking system among the varioussectoralandtrans-sectoralorganizations.

The natureof NGO Forum’sWatSanprogrammeis suchthatthereareno financial benefitsfor the impJementers.Continuousmotivation, promotionalactivities,and the like are requiredtoensuremaximumcoverage.TheForumworks togetherwith thegovernment, policy makers, and other donor agencies toformulate policies regarding the safe water and sanitationsituation in the country. For smooth implementationof theWatSan programme, the Forum collaboratesat the localadministrationlevel with the governmentagencies,in the hopeof creating a more favourable environment for work. Inattemptingto materializeits vision of reachingall throughitsWatSanprogramme,theForum mustadvocateboth locally andcentrally for a single formulatedstrategythat will be practisedby all thesectors,andthuseliminatetheobstaclesbroughtaboutby theseparatemethods.

In its endeavourto extend the reach of its safe water andsanitationprogramme,NGO Forum is also attemptingto drawin andinvolve the local opinionleaders,and indigenousgroupsin the communities, advocatingthe spreadof safewaterand

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hygiene practices. In this undertaking they are involvingmembersofthecommunitysuchastheschool teachers,parents,religious leaders,private producers,as well as the communityleaders and union WatSan committees to motivate thecommunityto follow thedirectivesoftheNGOsworking in thisrespect. These practically reach the more conservativecommunity,thosewho the Forum is unableto reachevenwiththehelpofits partners.

The Forum feels the needto embracethe situationusing allavailableapproaches.It thus lobbieswith the legislatorsto passlawspromotinghygienicpractices.Themediain this instanceisbroughtin so as to propela masssupport for the work of theWatSanprogramme,andreachall theregionsandpeoplein thecountry. It is hopedthat policy-makerscan be reachedusingdifferent media such as radio, television, newspapers,magazines,etc., soasto influencetheir opinionsand decisionsand commandeer their help in promoting the WatSanprogramme.Variousmediais also usedin the attemptto reachthe village community, to disseminateinformation about theWatSanprogrammes,andreachrural folk all overBangladesh.A special2-day trainingworkshopfor journalistsin eachof the12 NGO Forum regions is implementedto familiarize themwith the WatSan programme, i.e. implementationstrategy,coverage,success,problems,andotherrelatedissues.Theintentof this initiative is to promotecommunicationand urge a formof commitmentfrom thejournalists,andthroughtheirwritings,work towardsimprovedhygieneand sanitationin the country.The reportersalso visited the fields and differentprogrammes,and reported on their findings. This effort was deemedsuccessfulnot only becauseof the peoplereachedthroughthereadership, but also as a means of advocacy via thepublications,keepingthe public in contactwith the Forum’swork.

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In addition to all this, the Forum in its advocating andnetworkingrole maintainsan extensivedatabank cataloguingthe work of all its partnersandcollaboratorsso asto facilitatecommunicationbetween them. The partners, and all otherorganizationworking in this capacitycan also avail themselvesof a WatSanNGO Directory providing all necessaryWatSaninformation,andaresourcecentreon theNGO Forumpremises,both of which are maintainedby NGO Forum. Audio-Visualmediais alsousedasameansof informationdissemination.

A specialist in this field Mr. Khodabox, Assistant ChiefEngineerat DPHE, maintainsthat organizationNGO Forum istheonly apexandnetworkingorganizationin theWatSansectorthathasalreadyestablisheda trainingnetworkthroughwhich itis providing training to the NGOs. DPHE itself being thegovernmentorganization,is also taking training facilities fromNGO Forum. NGO Forum has successfully establishedatrainingnetworkthoughwhich it hasenoughscopeto developtrainingpersonnelwith multi-faceteddimension.HeappreciatesNGO Forum’s initiative in developinginnovativeand creativecommunicationmaterials.Organizationslike DPHE & UNICEFhavealso beenusing NGO Forum’scommunicationmaterialsfor variouspurposes.NGO Forum also maintainsclosecontactwith sectoralstakeholderslike DPHE, UNICEF, UNDP-WorldBank etc. throughdifferentmeetings,seminars,workshopsbothat centralandregionallevel.

Engr. Mohammad Mofazzal Hoque, a National FieldProgramme Officer from the World Health Organization,stressesthe coordination and collaboration role that NGOForum maintainswith the sectoralorganizations.World HealthOrganization (WHO) is implementing a Community WaterSupply Project in collaboration with Departmentof PublicHealth Engineering (DPHE). NGO Forum also collaborateswith WHO in orderto build up its capacityaswell asits partner

16 -

organizations. He also finds the issue-based seminars,workshops,andmeetingsarrangedby NGO Forumto help theparticipantsget updatedon the currenton WatSaninformationvery interesting.Mr. Hoqueconsidersthe functional structureand organizationalstructureof the Forum well set to play itsapex role. The communicationnetworking service is wellrepresented. He believes that close collaboration andcooperation among sectoral stakeholders and sectorprofessionalswill help strengthenthe apex-networkingrole ofNGOForumasthecoordinatingagencyin theWatSansector.

17

Sticks to Build A House

I n working towards a nation-wide improved safe water andsanitationsystem, one of the main roles played by NGO

Forum is that of building the capacity of its partnerNGOs.Sincethe Forumitself is not directly involved in implementingthe technology at the grassrootslevel, and dependson itspartnersto fulfil this function, NGO Forum chiefly plays anadvocatingandnetworkingrole. Throughcollaborationwith itspartnerNGOs, the Forum endeavoursto communicatewith thevariouscross-sectionsof people.TheForum assistsits partnersin a numberof ways, believing that sucha networking andadvocating role will go further towards the progressandachievementof its goals, than a straightforwarddirect role ofimplementationatthe local level.

The majority of the 533 partnersof the Forum are modestNGOs,working in selectedregions, on a relatively small scale.Many of thesewere initially assistedby the Forum, whichadopts a different, more relaxed attitude in deciding whichorganizationshould receiveits support. All organizationsmusthowever,fulfil thefollowing criteria— -

1. TheymustberegisteredattheNGOAffairs Bureau.

2. Theymustbe a memberof theAssociationof DevelopmentAgenciesin Bangladesh(ADAB).

3. Theymustdealwith safewaterand sanitationeitherdirectlyor indirectly alongwith their otherprogrammes.

One suchpartnerof NGO Forum is the Samajkallyan-O-PalliUnnayan Sangstha (Society and Village DevelopmentOrganization), or SPUS as it is known, which operates

18

developmentprogrammein theRupshaandMalochi villages inManikganj.SPUSinitially beganin 1961 asa recreationalclub,engagingin activities suchassoccer,badminton,drama,plays,etc. The managementof SPUS has been handed down thegenerationsto its presentmanagerswho took over the reins in1980. In 1981, ADAB was formed in Manikganj, and SPUSthus, came into contact with NGO Forum which was thenworkingundertheADAB banner.SwapanKumar Chandra,theProgrammeOfficer for SPUS firmly believesthat if SPUShadnot gone into social work when it did, it would not havesurvivedthis long.

Through 1982-1988, SPUS worked with ADAB in thecommunity forming their own beneficiary groups, andparticipating in various training programmessuch as groupmanagement,livestock management,healthand relatedissues,etc. Up till this time, SPUSdid not havemuchdirect contactwith NGO Forum under its own name.Then in 1988, SPUSreceived20 tube-wellsfor community distribution from theForum and that pavedthe way for the future. It is hard tobelievethat 20 tube-wellscouldgo sucha long way, but it did.Mr. Chandraadmits to having a hard time in reaching thegroups they initially tried to form. There had been anothergroup previously working there, who had demoralized thevillage people, and they were now scepticalof SPUS. Theywerereluctantto entrusttheirmoneyto the groupfund,dubiousof its intentions.

The 20 tube-wells given to the groups went a long way ingaining their trust. They now believedthat if this NGO couldgive themthe tube-wells,theymight also be ableto helpthemin other ways. This further propelled group formation, andbrought the communitytogether.The receiptof the tube-wellsalso launcheda demandfor more tube-wells. This windfall

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ability to communicatewith the group also helped SPUSundertakeits othersocialwork andmobilizationactivities.

NGOs initially receiveForumsupportofTk. 50,000to setup avillage sanitationcentre (VSC). These must produce and sellsanitationequipment at cost plus depreciationprice to thecommunity people in villages around the country. Thesanitationcentresmustproduce50 latrine setspermonth in anaverageas per their agreementwith NGO Forum. The centresusethe initial funding asa revolvingfund, making and sellingsanitationequipment.In additionto producingquality low-costequipment,they also provide information about hygiene andsanitation related issuesto the village people. NGO Forumfurther assistsby providing material support as well as watersupply hardwaresuchastube-wells,pumps,etc. to the_partnerNGOs.

SPUShad in the beginningapproachedNGO Forum to assistthemin sanitationwork. At that time thevillage coveragein thisrespectwasa meagre2-5%. NGO Forum conductedits needassessmentsurvey,and in 1989,it allocatedTk. 45,000 for theuseof SPUS in building a village sanitationcentre in Rupshavillage. In 1995, SPUSreceivedafurtherTk. 50,000to setup asecondVSC in theMalochivillage of Manikganj.

After theestablishmentoftheVSCs,village sanitationcoverageroseto 80%,andhasconsiderablylessenedthediarrhoearelateddiseases.Mr. Chandrahopesthat the coveragewill increasetoover 90% very soon. The cost of the sanitationequipmentisboughtat costby thevillagepeople.Also since1988, 130 tube-wells have been distributed to the community people,approximately55 peopleto a tube-well. Thedistribution of thetube-wellsoccursafter needassessmentat the local level, siteassessment,and after a caretaker for the tube-well isdetermined.Half thecostof thetube-well and its installation is

21

borne by the community,with the installation costs being thecommunity’s responsibility. Even after this initial selection,NGOForumvisits theselectedsite, andif all is satisfactory,theinstallationofthetube-well is sanctioned.

This strategyof providing initial funding is acrucial role playedby the Forum, for mostdonorswill only give funding to thoseNGOs who are alreadyengagedin somesort of developmentwork, and are successful.This preliminary funding by theForum assiststhe small NGOs in the initial setting up of theirorganization,and enablesthem to receive additional fundingfrom donorsfor otherwork. SPUSreceivedfunding from AsianPartnershipfor Human Development(APHD) through theiragent Caritas,after the donor saw their women developmentprogramme.Moreover, they have also sincereceivedfundingfrom donorssuchas Palli KarmaSahayakFoundation(PKSF)and Centrefor Disability Development(CDD). SPUSfeelsthatNGO Forumplayedthekey role by setting up their foundationwhich is responsiblefor their receiving funds for differentworks from otherdonors.

NGO Forum has also instituted a number of trainingprogrammeswhich benefitnot only the partners,but also theirbeneficiaries,and other organizations.The sessionsconductedboth centrallyand locally, focus on humanresourceand skilldevelopment.The Forum hasa well equippedTraining Centrenearits CentralOffice. - - -

A major component in this human resource developmenttraining is the Trainingof Trainers,abbreviatedTOT, which isessentiallya programmeto instruct the participantsin WatSantraining mechanisms.In addition, they are taught the skillsnecessaryto conduct and design other effective trainingprogrammes.Thesegroupsin turn conducttheir own trainingactivities in the community level, such as the Caretakers

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training on water technologies,etc. Mr. Chandraof SPUSadmits that TOT hasbeena big help to him, enablinghim toconductother trainingprogrammesfundedby otherdonors.Hehasdesignedand conducteda numberof training courses,aswell as a few regularworkshops.Becauseof the receivingofTOT he himselfwasable to conducttheseworkshops,and thismeant he was able to highlight the community’s needs anddemands.Whereoutsidetrainerswould not be able to relatepersonallyto thecourses,Mr. Chandrawasable to, becauseofhispersonalinvolvementwith thegroups.

NGO Forum facilitatesa numberof training programmesforhumanresourcedevelopment.Training programmessuchasCommunity & Social Mobilization for WatSan, WatSanProgrammeManagement,Village SanitationCentreAccountsManagement, Communication & Motivation for WatSan,PopularFolk Mediafor WatSancampaign,WatSanProgrammeOrientationTechniquesfor Different Groups, and others, areamongthe coursescurrently on the Forum’s agenda.The VSCAccountsManagementcourse,for example,helps the partnerNGOsnot only to managetheaccountsoftheVSC, but alsotheaccountsof their other activities. The human developmenttraining programmesare gearedto help the partnersbe moreknowledgeable about community and social mobilizationconcepts,effectiveWatSanmanagement,and all in all, bebetterequippedto communicatewith, and carry out the motivationalefforts required for community development and WatSanmanagement.

NGO Forum has also instituted a numberof technical skillsdevelopmenttrainingcoursesdesignedto meetthe needof thebeneficiaries that the partner NGOs are dealing with. Thetraining courseon Tube-well Sinking teachesthe participantsabout tube-well boring, installation, and repairing. Aftercompletionof the course,the participants,who arecommunity

24

people or tube-well mechanics uninstructed in tube-welltechnologies,areable to takethis up asa professionif needed.The courseon Low-cost Latrine Productionteachesthe groupmembersof partnerorganizationsto producedifferent typesoflow-cost appropriatehygienic latrines for the rural people,aswell asproduce,install, and maintaindifferent typesof latrinetechnologies.Another training course, the Pump CaretakersTrainingprovidestheparticipantsof thecourse,who areusuallywomen who eventually look after the pumps, technicalknowledgeand skill on the Tarapump, togetherwith problemidentificationand solution,its repairandmaintenance. -

The participantsfor the training sessionsareselectedand sentby the partnerNGOs,and are provided free of cost by NGOForum to participantsof thesecourses.Gono Kallyan Trust,GKT ProjectManager,Mr. DhirendraKumar Ray statesthatNGOForum’strainingprogrammeshavegreatlybenefitedtheirorganization.The trained personnelcan be usedas resourcepersonsfor future training activities. Training of Trainershasmet the lack of such trained personnel,and enabledGKT toconduct their own training programmes.They have attendedtwo separatetraining programmesconductedby NGO-Forum.One on social mobilization on water and sanitation,and theother, the TOT training. The participantshave consequentlytrainedother people.The training facilities, he says,have notonly helped in water supply and sanitationprogrammes,butalso in GKT’s other integrateddevelopmentwork in about32separatecomponents.

NGO Forum believes that its participatory approach isresponsiblefor its successin thesafewaterandsanitationfield.Its networking reachesto and encompassesthe governmentorganizations,donors,andothernon-governmentorganizations,to create a favourable and mutually beneficial workingenvironment.TheForumutilizes thepartnerNGOsto associate

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and network with the local powerstructures,arrangemeetingsand soforth. ThecentralNGO Forumnetworkswith the DhakaDepartment of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) tocommunicatewith the DPHEs of the other regions. Theforesight is that the building of sucha relationshipwith thedifferent power structures will facilitate work, research,information, implementation,etc. in all areasof watersupplyand sanitation.

Furthermore,NGO Forum maintainsan extensiveinformationandresourceservicewhich is availableto the partnerNGOsasand when needed.The WatSanData Bank and WatSanNGODirectory cataloguesall information relating to all the partnerNGOs,otherrelatedwatersupplyand sanitationissues,andtheinformation are regularly disseminatedto its partners andstakeholders.Thereis also aLibrary facility on theNGO Forumpremises,- which stocks books, journals, newspapers,newsletters,etc.,aswell asaudio-visualmaterial.Everyquarter,informationaboutadditionsto the Library are passedon to thepartnersvia the Forum’s 12 RegionalOffices so that they arealso awareof the materialavailableshould they require them.The Forum also publishesmonthly and quarterly newsletters,booklets,etc. to keep its partnersupdatedabout its activities,developments,etc. The maintenanceof such an informationsystemand databank is intendedto assistthe partnersin theirwork, as well as to facilitate smoother and more effectivecommunicationamongthem.

NGO Forum doesin essenceprovide the small NGOswith thebuilding blocks on which to base their organization. Thiscapacitybuilding role is crucial to thework anddevelopmentofthepartners.Evenafterthepartnersarewell on theirway,NGOForummaintainscontactwith them,overlookingtheir activities,lending a helpinghandwhennecessary.Although the Forum isconcernedwith those organizationsinvolved in water supplyandsanitation,its facilities areopento all interestedpartieswhocare to avail them with a view to capacitizing those tocontributein thenation’s WatSanpromotion.

27

The Child is SometimestheFather of the Man

~ reakopenlatrines,Build hygieniclatrines!” This wasthebattle cry of the processionmaking itself through the

Sakhuavillage in Trishal underMymensinghdistrict. Students,teachers, village development committee members, schoolauthorities,all, participatedin this rally in an attemptto spreadsafe water and sanitationawareness.The rally was a festiveoccasion.Studentsfelt more like they were in somesort of acarnival,gettingaday off school,thena lectureshipon hygiene.Therally concludedthe one day SchoolWatSanProgrammeintheSakhuaHigh Schoolin Sakhua,Mymensingh.

Theschoolprogrammein Sakhuatook placein May 1997. Priorto thatevent,18 teachersfrom differentschoolsparticipatedin aTeachers’Orientation.Theheadmasterof SakhuaHigh School,Abdus Salam was one of the participantsin this Orientation.The agenda included the school programme strategy~theimportanceof safe water and hygienic latrine use, and theimportance of personal hygiene. It also highlighted NGOForum’s various software activities at the field level, andenumeratedthe ways in which the school programmecanbesuccessfully conducted. This initiative was an attempt atobtainingthecommitmentoftheteachersto work for theschoolprogramme.

The regionalofficers of NGO Forumtogetherwith the help ofits partnerNGO, Nayan Action Foundation(NAP), and thevillage developmentcommitteemembers,conductedthe oneday schoolprogrammein SakhuaHigh School. NGO Forum’sobjectivein conductingthe school programmeis to reachthechildren, to motivate them, and through them, convince theparentsto install hygienic latrinesand safewatertechnologies.

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It is felt, that parents are more inclined to listen to theirchildren.Thesechildrencanalsomotivatetheirneighbours,andthe surroundingvillagers. Sometimes,older children can alsohelp in the installation of sanitary latrines, and safe watertechnologies,wheretheowneris unableto do so. If thechildrenareawareof suchhygienematters,the school environmentisalso cleaner, and the relevant school authorities are alsocompelledto provideaccessto safewater,hygienic latrines,etc.The Forum cooperateswith partner organizations,teachers,union council representatives,and parents,to form a SchoolCommittee.This Committeeis responsiblefor ensuringthat theteachersofthedifferent schoolreinforcehygieneeducationon aregularbasis,andconductregularfollow-ups.

The studentsof SakhuaHigh Schoolwere previouslyinformedabout the WatSanprogramme,and given the day off fromclasses,although all were expectedto attendthe programme.There, they were told aboutthe advantagesof safe waterandhygienic latrineuse,andthedisadvantagesof openlatrines,andunsafewater,suchasthe diseasesspread,etc. A videowasalsoshownto themto further illustratetheWatSanideal.

ShefaliAkhter is a Class9 studentof SakhuaHigh School.Shesaysthatin thebeginningshewasunawareof theconsequencesof using openlatrines, and only knew about it after attendingthe school programme. She tried to talk to her parentsafterwards,but theyrefusedto listen. Finally, shetalked to herheadmasteraboutherinability to convinceherparentsto installa hygienic latrine system.Mr. Salamaccompaniedher to herhouse, and together they talked to her parents, and finallymanagedto persuadethemto do somethingaboutthesituation.

NasreenSultanais anotherstudentof SakhuaHigh School.Sheclaims they had a sanitary latrine even before the schoolprogramme, and her family were habituated to using it.

30

However,till attendingtheschoolprogrammeshewasunawareof the reasonsfor using a hygienic latrine. They also have atube-well, which they use for safe water, although that isbecausethereis no otherwayofobtainingwaterastherearenoponds, etc. nearby. It is only after attending the schoolprogrammethat shebecameawareof the importanceof safewater and sanitationuse.Nasreenalso talks about two of herfriends Lucky and Asma, who were unableto convince theirparentsto install hygienic latrines, becausethey were poor. Inthe end, however,thethreeof themwereableto convincetheirparentsto install the latrines,while the schoolauthority andthevillage developmentcommitteehelpedthem with thecost.

Masudul Alam a studentof Class 10, agreesthat the schoolprogrammehasbeen very beneficial as far as safe water andlatrine useis concerned.In this, theyare also motivatedby theteacherswho conductregularfollow-ups. “Themembersof thevillage developmentcommitteehavea closerelationshipwiththe teachers.The mobile village sanitationcentre is locatedright next to our school, in the Union Parishadpremises.Sometimes,the committeememberswill come by the schooland enquireaboutthe sanitationaffairs, who are coveredandwho are not, etc. They also try to motivate the parentsthroughthechildren”. - --

Theheadmaster,AbdusSalam,togetherwith otherteachers,andNAF staff members,conducteda surveyto obtain informationabouLthe village sanitation coverage. Before the schoolprogramme,of the 600 families in the village, only about20-25% were covered.After the schoolprogramme,they assumethe coverageto be closerto 75-80%.The teachersalso follow-up on the studentsprogress,and regularly visit families toensurethat everyoneis eventuallycovered. He saysthat thecoveragewas lessbeforetheprogrammebecauseof povertyaswell asilliteracy on thesubject.At thesametime, thesafewater

31

coveragewas 100%evenbeforetheschoolprogramme,becausethevillagershaveno other sourceof waterexceptfor the tube-wells. But now, “the peopledon’t go to the bushesanymoretodefecate,and they drink safe water, becausethey know whathappensif theydon’t”.

ShahanChandraShil, the headmasterof Hamidullah Hat HighSchool, in Shitakundo,Chittagong, says that “Sanitation, andpersonalhygieneare issueswhich are taught during assemblyevery day”. The school is equippedwith a tube-well for safewater,and hygienic latrines. YoungPowerin Social Action orYPSA wasthelocal NGO, conductingtheschoolprogrammeinthis region.The response,attendance,and participationduringtheschoolprogrammewasgreat,Mr. Shil observes.Hebelievesthat“NGOs working in thevillages arevery effective,anddo agoodjob of makingpeopleawareof healthandhygieneissues.Even the children are aware of this”. Abu Taher, a schoolteacher,attendeda teacher’s orientation in Noahkhali, andsubsequentlyassistedYPSA in conductingthe school WatSanprogrammewhich followed. The feedbackfrom the studentswas favourable.A few studentsevencameto the headmasterright after the school to enquireabout latrines. Theywere soldhygienic latrines from the village sanitationcentre at YPSA,who eventransportedthem freeof cost. “Most of thepeopleinthis regionarepoor, and many areunableto buy thehygieniclatrinesevenif they havethe desire.If we areable to providethe poorerstudentswith latrines free of cost, that would be agreathelp”, Mr. Shil suggests.“Also, thering from thering slablatrine falls off after 1-2 years,and requiresa masonto fix it,which is expensive.Thepeopledo not havethemoneyfor this”.

Another high school in Borochala village in Bhaluka underMymensinghdistrict hastakena novel approachto implementand further the school WatSan programme. Md. MujiburRabmanKhan,ateacherof this schoolexplainstheir initiative.

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The school WatSanprogrammewas conductedin ShamolaTaherAdarshaGirls’ High Schoolin 1996. Soonafterthis, theteachersand studentsjointly took the initiative to set up twoseparatecommitteesto overseethe WatSanimpact. One oftheseis the Class WatSanCommittee.Eachclasshasa ClassWatSanCommitteewhich is comprisedofsix studentmembers,two of whom areselectedto be the captainand vice-captain.There is also a class teacherto supervisetheir activities. ThisClass Committee keepstabs on the safe waterand sanitationcoveragein the village. They keeprecordson which familiesare covered,and which are not. They also attemptto motivatetheir classmatesto learn about and install safe water andhygienic latrines.TheCommitteesits togethereverymonth,andreviewstheirmonthlywork. They look overhowmanyfamiliesthey have beenable to bring undercoverageand how manyfamilies are left. Their report is sent up to the SchoolWatSanCommittee.

The SchoolWatSanCommitteeis seatedby two membersfromthe SchoolManagingCommittee,8 teachers,anda memberofthe partner NGO, in this case, the Human DevelopmentProgrammeor HDP apartnerNGOofNGOForum.TheSchoolWatSanCommitteeoverseesthe work ofthe classcommittees,and reviews their monthly reports. They try to guide thechildren yet uncovered by safe water and sanitation, andmotivate their parents through them. Dolena Khatoon is aBengali teacherat this Girls’ High School. She saysthat thissystemof motivating the parentsthroughthe children is theright way to ensuretheeffective implementationofthe WatSanprogramme. “The Class WatSan Committee is a greatmechanismto encouragethe students.Prizes are given to theclasscommitteeswith the best results,that is, the committees,which show the most coverageresults.This instills a senseofcompetitionamongtheclasseswhich is very healthy”.

33

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Mr. Azizul Haque,aB.Sc. teacherstates,that theclassWatSanprogrammestarts from Class 6. As a result, the upperclasseswith olderstudentsshowbetterresults,and mosthaveinstalledhygienic latrines. Special emphasisis, thus, neededfor thelower classes,into which newstudentsenter, to motivate themto participatein theWatSanprogramme.The schoolis attendedby studentsfrom different villages.While Borochalavillage has100%coverage,theothervillages arestill not totally covered.

A school routine, produced,and distributed by NGQ Forumthrough its partners,containingWatSanrelatedinformation isalso distributedto the children, saysteacherMujibur RahmanKhan. Thus, the children come into regular contact with theWatSaninformationcontainedin the routine.At regularly heldcultural programmes,amongthe topics projectedat the essaycompetitions,dramas,etc., WatSanissuesare also highlighted.“Absenteeism has reduced because the children are lessafflicted with diseases.The WatSanprogrammeis responsiblefor this, becausethe most common diseaseat that time wasdiarrhoea, which is causedby the use of unsafewater, andunhygienic latrines. They are very indebtedto HDP for theirmotivation, andhelp in instituting the various programmesintheschool”. He talks abouta student,KhaledaParveenwho didnot have a hygienic latrine in her housedespitecontinuouspressurefrom her peers in the class committee. Finally, inembarrassment,shestoppedcoming to school.Membersoftheclass committeetogetherwith membersof the faculty visitedher houseand talked to her father, Khalil Pathan. After hecapitulated,and a latrine ‘was installed, Parveenreturnedtoschool.

DolenaKhatoonproposesthat if a network can be establishedbasedon the different WatSanmethodsimplementedin thedifferent schools, it would help them to tackle the sanitationissuemore dynamically. Moreover, if sanitationissuescan be

35

addressedin the social sciencetextbooks,along with otherenvironmentalissues,it would prove to havea greaterimpacton thestudents.Sincepovertyis one ofthe maincauses,ofthepeople’sinability to buy hygieniclatrines,providingthe latrinesat subsidizedprices, or even free of cost would be a greatbenefit to the people.“If everycommunitycanrun the SchoolWatSanprogrammethe sameway they are running theirs, theuseof unsafewaterandunhygienic latrineswill be thoroughlyeradicated”.

36

Raindrops Keep Falling to Fill theTanks and Quench the Thirst

I t was a cloudy Sunday afternoonin Srifalkathi village ofShyamnagarthanain Satkhira.Azibar Ali Dhali, comesout of

his housewith a largeglassand standsnearthewatertank in hiscourtyard.As half the glass is filled with water, he exclaims“How sweet the water tastes!”. This is how people hail rainwater,thedropsofblessingfrom above.

Collection of rain-water or rain-water harvestingprocessfordrinking purposestartedin thecoastaldistricts for abouta year.Fifteensuchplantshavebeenset-upin Satkhiradistrict lastyearwith the financial support of NGO Forum, implementedbylocal NGOs. It is underprocessto set-upfifteen moreplantsinSatkhiraandfive plants in Khulnain 1998.

Suchaplant standson thecourtyardofAzibarAu Dhali, whichhas been set-up under the supervision of the organization“Shushilan”of Kaliganj thanaunder Satkhiradistrict. Azibaranda neighbourof him namedFazila Khatun shared25% costfor this plant. Azibar is a mason(Rajmistri)by occupation.Hehimself has completed the constructionof this Rain-WaterHarvestingPlant capableof containing3200 litres of water inAugust1997. He collecteda rathersmall quantityof rain-wateronly in two months. It servedfor drinking purposefor theeightmembersof two families till lastApril. But two-third ofthe tankhasbeenfilled up with rain-waterthis year.

Like Azibar Au and Fazila Khatun, Asiaand Murshedaof thesamevillage have set-upanotherRain-WaterHarvestingPlantunderthesupervisionofthe local NGO Shetuwith thefinancialsupportofNGO Forum.Thisplant hasbeenservingfor thetotaldrinking watersupply for 14 membersof thetwo families.

37

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Safe drinking water is a basic need for the people ofBangladesh,wherethere is thethreatof thousandsof diseases.Peopleat all levels are involved in collecting safe drinkingwater - may it be the City Corporationor Municipality supplyor tubewells.But wherethesefacilities arenot available, therepeoplehaveto dependon pondsor lakesoropenreservoirs.Notfor householdpurposesonly, but peoplearecompelledto usethis unhygienic water for drinking purposealso. This is thetragic fact for innumerablepeoplein thecoastalarea.Therearemany areasin the coastalbelt whereit is impossibleto collectwater with a tubewell. Moreoverat someplacesthe tubewellwater is too salty and full of iron to drink. But extensiveworkhasbeenbeing doneto find a suitable alternativemethodfordrinking watersupply since long. This road of successled tosomeexceptionalworks in the field of drinkingwatersupply inthe coastal belt. Iron Removal Plants have been set-upexperimentallyto reducetheiron level in tubewell water.PondSand Filters (PSF) have been set-up to purify pond or lakewater.Rain-WaterHarvestingPlantshavebeenset-upto collectrain-waterfor drinkingpurpose.

Although rain-waterharvestingis an age-old method in theworld, but this technologyis quite newin Bangladesh.

With the concertedefforts of the governmentand the NGOs,this technologyhasbeenintroducedhereonly sincelastyear. In1997 fifteen plantshavebeenset-upexperimentallyin Satkhiradistrict with the effort of NGO Forum in partnershipwith itspartnerNGOs and twenty moreplants areunderprocessto beset-up in Satkhiraand Khulna districts. The constructioncostfor a Rain-WaterHarvestingPlant which has the capacity ofcontaining3100 litres ofwater rangesfrom eightthousandfivehundredto nine thousandTaka. The beneficiaryfamily shares25% cost of construction.The rest 75% cost is supplied byNGO Forum through its local partnerNGO. Although, rain-

39

waterharvestingis a newtechnology,but it hasachievedmuchpopularity amongthe people of the coastal areas,for whomscarcityofdrinking waterhasbeenanunavoidablehardreality.KarunamoyeeSaha, Arun, Dipen, Ratan, Mariam and someothersof Kaliganj and Shyamnagarthanasof Satkhiradistrictexpresstheirwillingness to share25% constructioncost to bethelucky andproudownersofRain-WaterHarvestingPlants.

Mintu, a staffof the local NGO “Shushilan”believesthat it ispossible to createa wide network of Rain-water HarvestingPlants throughoutthe entire coastalregion if governmentandother large NGOs providenecessaryfinancial support in thisconnection.It will solve the problemof getting safedrinkingwaterfor thecoastalpeople.

So far it is known, the age-oldRain-WaterHarvestingprocesswas first startedin Egypt. Immediateafterwardsthis techniquestarted being used throughout Africa. According to theresearchers,the collection of rain-waterandits usewas startedin the world about 2000 years ago and it is still going on.Reservoirsof different capacityare availablein different partsof the world ranging from 200 to 2000 cubic metres. InThailand60% of thetotal demandofdrinking wateris fulfilledwith rain water. There, this project is a widely acceptedone.The largest reservoir of rain-water is found in Istanbul ofTurkey.Its capacityis 80,000cubicmetres.

Peoplein the coastalareasand hilly areasof Bangladeshhavebeencollecting and using rain-watersincelong. But this waterwascollectedunhygienicallyin largeearthenvessels.Thishabitof peopleled to the improvedversion of collection of Rain-Water HarvestingPlantof today. It is very easyto constructaplant. The sizeof thetank should dependuponthe numberofthefamily members.

40

The costof atank rangesfrom threethousandto ninethousandTaka.Accordingto theresearchers,2 litres of drinking waterisnecessaryfor a man everyday.Therefore, a plant with thecapacityof 3200 litres canserve 10/12persons,aplant with thecapacityof 2000 litres canserve7 personsand a plant with thecapacityof 1000 litres canserve3/4 personsfor five months. Inthe rainy seasonsboth collection and useof water can go onsideby side.

Thecollectionandpreservationis very easy.At first a concretereservoirhasto be constructed.Above it, there’ll be a thickcatchmentpipe,which will carrywaterfrom thetarpolineor tinroof of the houseto the tank. At the bottom end of the tank,therewill be atapto getwaterfrom it. Sincethetank is madeofferocement,there’sno chanceof formationofbacteria.Sowaterwill be safe throughoutthe year.But, the tank mustbe cleanedonceayear.

Those who are concerned about this work think that, ifgovernmentstartsto install Rain-WaterHarvestingPlants liketubewells throughout the country, especially in the coastalareas,it will solve the drinking water supply problem entirely.Moreover,the installationof thisplantsin thoseareaswherethetubewell water is arsenic contaminated,can help solve thedrinking water supply problem.But in this caseit will requiremore attention from the government.Because,a tubewell cansupply necessarywaterfor all purposesfor 10 families,whereasa Rain-WaterHarvestingPlantwith thecurrenttechnologycansupply only the drinking water for two families. But that is atremendousgettingfor thepeopleofcoastalbeltwheretubewellor any otherpump technologiesis of no use for meetingtheirdemandup ofsweetand safewater.

The coastalpeopleareeveninterestedto sharethe constructioncostin thisregard.

41

VIDC: Means to Holistic Progress

here there’s a Will, there’s a Way”. The VillageDevelopmentCommitteewasestablishedin September

1997. By December 1997, they had achievedalmost 100%sanitationcoveragein the village. 120 out of the 141 familieshad water seal latrines installed. By the end of Januarynextyear, the needsof the remaining21 families were met, and 6tube-wellswere installedso that theyhad accessto safewater.In only four short months, the committeehad reachedtheirtargetandestablishedtheirvital role in villagedevelopment.

Palli Unnayan Parishad,or PUP is a partnerNGO of NGOForum working in the Pahankuchavillage of Comilla. Oneoftheir main accomplishmentsin this village, with regards tocommunityparticipationwas their help in the establishmentofthe village developmentcommitteeor VDC. After talks withPUP, membersof the community, 11 men and 4 women,gatheredto form a VDC in themonthof September,1997. Withhelp and advice from PUP, the VDC conducteda survey toascertain the situation in the village - with regards to watersupply and sanitation.Based on the information gleaned,thevillage wasdivided into two parts,and the VDC set the targetdatefor 100%coveragefor December1997.

The Village Development Committee was a NGO Fol-umconcept,responsiblefor the overall developmentof thevillage,dealingwith activities relating to planning, promotion, follow-up, and monitoring of health development programme,education programme, income generating programme,afforestationand environmentdevelopmentprogramme,aswellasthe collection of socio-economicinformation, etc.The ideabehindthe establishmentof a VDC was that sucha committee,being better able to relate to the grassrootslevel, would be

42

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much more effective in implementing the Forum’s WatSanprogramme through community management. The VDCemphasizesWatSanpromotion,and takesthenecessarystepstoensurethepurchase,installation,andappropriateuseof sanitarylatrines by all families in the village. The VDC is alsoresponsiblefor maintainingcontactwith the latrine suppliers,and ensuring adequatesupply. The VDC is formed throughmutual discussionand understandingwith the people in theLocal DiscussionForum. The Committeeis then formedwith11-15members,and is representedby membersfrom the localpowerstructure,aswell as different levelsof the community,including women. An officer from the local partner NGOworking in the village, works as the member-secretaryof theVDC.

Thepeoplein Pahankuchahad no previousguidelinesfor waysto improvetheirsituation.Theywantedabetter life, but hadnomeansto go aboutit. PUP gavetheVDC guidelinesfor workingtowardsa betterfuture. They were told aboutfamily planning,adult literacy, safe water and sanitation,etc. PUP helped byproviding sanitaryequipmentat reasonableprices,and whichwould havecost a lot more if bought from private producers.They have receivedcredit from PUP, as well as informationabout health, and other issues. All decisions and projectsbroachedby the VDC, aretakenwith thehelpand adviceofthePUP officers. It was seen that once the VDC worked inconjunctionwith thepartnerNGO,thevillage participationwasgreater,and PUP in this instancewas able to greatermotivatethe community for the implementation of NGO Forum’ssoftwareactivities, suchas SchoolWatSanProgramme,ImamOrientation, Courtyard Meeting, Non-School Going Girls’Orientation,etc. PUP gave them targetsto work on, and theVDC happily embracedthemwith afavour.

44

Md. Hanif hasbeena VDC memberfrom its conceptionlastyear. He is very enthusiasticabout the work they have beendoing, theirsuccesses,and the issuesthey plan to tackle in thefuture. He is proudof the achievementsthey havemadein thesafewaterand sanitationdepartment,in the remarkablyshorttime. The VDC threw itself wholeheartedlyin the attempt tomake the ~eople realize the need for safe water, hygieniclatrines and overall hygiene practices. They talked to thevillagers, and visited all the houses.“Where men could notenter,the womendid”, saysMd. Hanif. Their success,he says,is due to the fact that they “made peoplerealize the needfordevelopment”.

Md. Hanif believes,thatvillage participationis alsoresponsible,to a largeextent,for theprogresstheyhavemadein thevillage.The village peopleare their neighboursand relatives. Whereeveryoneknows practicallyeveryoneelse,it is easierto talk tothe people, to get them to listen, and participate in thedevelopmentprogrammes.The entire village will contributetohelp with financial problems, to buy sanitation equipment,extendcredit,etc.The VDC sits everymonthto decideon thestateof their programmes,and what they will undertakenext.Village opinion, Md. Hanif declares,play an importantrole intheworkoftheVDC. Sincetheyareworking for thepeople,thepeoples’opinionsaredefinitelyofprimaryimportance.

Md. Hanif is very optimistic aboutthe projectsthe VDC willundertakein the future. Some of these are tree plantation,family planning, and a very importantone, adult education.Hebelievesthat adult literacy is very important, “for a learnedpersonwill graspdevelopmentissuesmuchmore quickly, andwill bemorereadyto acceptwhathe readsandhears,andseeswith his own eyes”. The VDC plansto eradicate“tip shoi” bytheendof 1998.“Tip shoi” is a form offingerprint signature,inwhich illiterate peoplesign by placing their fingerprinton the

45

document.“We will teachthepeopleto sign theirownnames”,he asserts.In this initiative to make the people more awareaboutdevelopmentissues,the VDC plans to get newspapers,and makethem availableto all thosewho canread,aswell asbring radio andtelevisioncoverageinto the village for greaterawarenessabout country affairs. “One by one we will worktowardsotherdevelopmentprogrammes”.

ShahanaAkhter is a female memberof the PahankuchaVDC.She hasbeeninvolved with a PUP family planningproject forthe past three years. With the establishmentof the VDC, shewas encouragedby the other membersto join and share herviews, opinions, and experiencewith the committee.She visitsthe villages to meet with the people, and tell them aboutdevelopmentissues.Shebelievesthat theVDC doesgive her anequalopportunityto voice her opinion,and the baselinesurveyconductedin thevillage beforethe committeewasformed,wasdoneat her instigation. SabinaAkhter is a youngermemberofthe village developmentcommittee.She is a changefrom theusualconservativefemale - moreawareof hersurroundingsandthe needfor change.Shejoined the VDC to learnmore abouthealth,sanitation,andotherissues,andto be betterable to sharethis information with her contemporaries.She believesin theneed for using safe water, and hygienic latrines, and learntabouttheeffectsofunplannedunhygienicsystemsafterjoiningthe VDC. She wantsto rally thevillagersto be moreconsciousabout such important health, family planning, and other suchissues. “Womenarestill not very consciousaboutsuchmatters.Family planning took forever to explain because of thepreconceivednotionsfamilies haveaboutbirth control, andthepredilectionpoorerpeople havefor having more children formorework hands.Literacy is an importanttool for educatingthepeople,andbringingdevelopmentto thevillage”.

46

The chairmanfor the VDC in Pahankuchavillage commandsgreatrespectin the society.Abdul Sobhanis a liberation warfighter, and a staunchAwami League activist. Many of theother membersin this VDC are also actively involved in thecountry’s political sceneand have different party affiliations.However, Mr. Sobhanbelievesthat their political differencesdoesnot in any way encroachon, or influencetheVDC’s work.The VDC is politics-free, set up only for the bettermentanddevelopmentof the village. It is widely and warmly acceptedby thevillage people.It is a tool to furthertheirown goalsfor adevelopedand cleanerenvironment.The committeedoeshaveleadershipqualities,and is able to bargaineffectively with thelocal power structure.They even maintain relations with thegovernment,althoughthey have yet to provideassistance.Mr.Sobhanfeels that the governmenthasa duty and should helpthem out in someways, suchas providing equipment,space,etc.which would maketheirwork easier.

Thevillage developmentcommitteewasa successfulconceptinreaching those who were previously missed becauseof thetarget group approach.The establishmentof the VDCs toenhance the community management, ensure activeparticipationof representativesfrom all levels of people,andeven to mediate betweenthe community people have beeninstrumental in attaining the response,and interest from thegrassrootslevel. TheVDC wasestablishedto work astheentrypoint to the overall developmentactivities in the village. Thevillage level participationofthecommunity,throughthevillagedevelopmentcommitteehasbeentremendousin implementingNGO Forum’s developmentprogrammesalong with otherdevelopmentactivities in thevillage.

47

PSFMakes Filthy Pond-Water100% Safe

e were used to drinking pond-water. We felt adiscomfortin the stomach.But there is no more the

discomfortas we have startedto drink the filtered water. Forthis reasonI sentmy wife or family membersto carry waterfrom one and a half mile distance”, says Nur Ali Gazi ofMunshiganj of Satkhiradistrict as he stands on the roadside.Nur Au, who is now reachingsixty remembersthe habit ofdrinkingpond-waterofhis ancestorsfor threegenerations.

But he didn’t hesitateto avail himselfofthe opportunityoftheaccessto safedrinking water.Whenat first, initiativeshadbeentaken to purify the polluted and muddy pond-water,peopleseemedto be doubtfulaboutit. Peopledoubtedhowit would bepossibleto purify waterwith merebrick-chipsandsand.AbdulMajid of Munshiganj had the samedoubts. He says, he, likemany laughedat the NGOsefforts astheymadethetanksandput brick-chipsand sandin them. But assoonasthe filter wasstartedand supplied pure water, their disbeliefs turned intobeliefs.

This filter is called Pond Sand Filter (PSF). It is a localtechnology sand filter for purification of pond-water.Thistechnologyhasbeenintroducedin Bangladeshin the sixties.But then it wasonly an experimentaleffort. Justafterliberationa pond sandfilter was set-up on the bank of a pond near amarketat Patharghatain thecoastaldistrict Barguna.It becamequitepopularamongthelocal people.But it wasnot possibletotake widespreadefforts to set-up more pond sand filtersthroughout the coastal belt. But it was not due to theunwillingnessof the concernedpersons.Actually, a reservedwaterreservoiris essentialto set-upa PSF.This pondhasto be

48

usedexclusivelyfor water supply purpose.Even if fishesareallowed in the pond, they will not be allowed any food.Moreover the constructioncost of this filter is a bit high. Thetotal cost to build a tank having three layers and to install atubewell to raise water from the pond to the tank is abouttwenty five thousandTaka. On the otherhandone suchfilterhasthe largecapacityto supply water for at leastone hundredfamilies. But becauseof the cost involvement it is still notpossible to reach this facility to the coastal people at awidespreadlevel.

The technologyofthe filter is simple. Thetankhasthreelayers.Pondwatershouldbe raisedto thetankwith thehelpof a pumpor tubewell. The uppermostlayer containslargechips of brickor coir which will removelargeparticlesofdirt from thewater.Thenthe waterwill be accumulatedin themid-layer.Heresmallchipsof brick and sandwill finally purify thewaterand at thebottomlayerpure waterwill be availablefor usethroughatap.The cover of the tank is madeof corrugatedtin. In the meantime researchhasbeencarriedout to examinethequality ofthefiltered water. Researchershavefound it to be 100%safe fordrinking. Consideringthe high cost, it hasbeendecidedto usethis technologyonly in the coastalregion. Becausein manyareasof the coastalbelt it is not possibleto pump water fromundergroundthroughdeepor shallow tubewells.Especiallyintheseareas,pondsandfilter hasbeenusedto purify pond-water.Howeverthe presentarseniccrisis in tubewell water in manyareas has led to the thought of using this technologycountrywide. The limited numberof PSFsof today are builtwith the financial support of the Departmentof Public HealthEngineeringoftheGovernmentofBangladesh(DPHE) orNGOForum.

There is a Pond SandFilter in Jelikhali village of Munshiganjthanaof Satkhiradistrict. It hasbeenimplementedby the local

49

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NGO “Shetu” under the financial support of NGO Forum.AnotherPondSandFilter hasbeeninstalledon the mainroadofthethana.DPI-JEhassponsoredfor this PSF.HousewifeSujataRani Karmaker, a teenagedgirl namedAklima, day labourerAbdul Majid, housewifeBinodi, villagerTaponKumar Mondaland manymorebelievethat PondSand Filter is a blessingforthem. Becausetubewell water is undrinkable for excessivesalinity and iron. Moreovercookingrice wasdifficult with thetubewell water. Thereforethe PSF technologyhasgiven themaccessto moresafetyandconvenience.

The PSF spothas becomea meetingplace of people.It takessometimeto filter the waterafter it is pumpedin the tank. Thebottom chamberof the tank containspure water always. Butnobody takes water without pumping some more water forpurification for another.The maintenanceof the PSF is alsovery important. The brick-chips sand etc. need cleaningaccordingto specific rules. Otherwisepurificationwill stop.Allthe users take part in the cleaning activities. Each usercontributesat leastTk. 1 orTk. 2 forthis purpose.

It is really a vital example of water managementthroughcommunity participation.If cost involvement can be reducedthrough researchwork, PSF technology can be used widelythroughoutBangladesh.A concertedeffort of the governmentandNGOsmaycreatethis option.

51

What the PeopleSay

I n the Borochalavillage of Bhaluka,Mymensingh,theHumanDevelopmentProgrammeor HDP, a partnerorganizationof

NGO Forum, plays the implementersrole of ensuringthat thevarious softwareactivities on WatSanprogrammeoutlined byNGO Forumareproperly conducted.Thesesoftwareactivitiesare additionaltools for thepromotionand assuranceof WatSanpromotion throughout the nation. The activities focus onreachingthe variouscross-sectionof people,then throughandwith them,motivateandcreatean awarenessamongthepeople.

NGOForum hasidentified and targetedthevarious indigenousgroupsin thevillage who needspecialattentionwhenit comesto the work of sustaining and maintaining safe WatSanpractices.Thesegroups are opinion leadersor caretakersofhouseholds,or other peopleor groupswho are better able tomotivatethecommunitypeople,thananoutsiderworkingin theregion.With thehelp of the partnerNGO working in the area,NGO Forum conducts its various software activities in anattemptto indoctrinatethesepeopleto safewaterandsanitationhabits, hoping that they in turn will motivate their villagerelatives,neighbours,andfriends. In mostregionstheactivitieshave beensuccessfulin gaining the acceptanceof the people,andpromotingWatSanhabitsquicker.

The CourtyardMeetinghelpedto reachwomenwho areoftenreluctantto go far from the hometo attendmeetings,etc. Thecourtyardmeeting is appropriatefor its namein that womengatherarounda courtyardin an informal sitting and aretaughtWatSanpractices.HDP in conjunctionwith the KomolaphuliMahila Samity, conductsthe courtyardmeetingsin Borochalavillage. Thewomenaretold aboutwaysto preventdiseasesandthespreadofdiseasesthroughsafewaterandsanitation.

52

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Asiya Begum who is the chairpersonfor the KomolaphuliMahila Samity, agreesthat attendingthesemeetingshave beenbeneficial as far as her family, and the locality is concerned.“Before the children used to defecateeverywhere,and thenpoultry, flies, etc. would come into contact with these, andspreaddiseases.My family memberswould alwaysbe sick withdiarrhoeaor someotherailment”. With the information fromthe courtyardmeeting,and a loan from the Samity, sheboughtand installeda latrine in her house.The frequencyof sicknesshasconsiderablylessened,sheadmits. -

SufiaKhatunsays,“At first only womenwould attendandsit atthe courtyard meetings.But after the men saw what we did,someof them startedcoming aswell. Nowadayswheneverwehave meetings,somemenwill comeand sit with us aswell”.‘~HDPusesposters,charts,stickers,etc.to illustratethe WatSanideals.Sometimeswe are shownvideoswhich demonstratethehygienicWatSanhabits.”,saysAmenaBegum.

“Nowadays, we don’t just sit at the courtyard meetingsconductedby I-IDP. We go to otherpartsof the village andconductourown courtyardmeetingto help thewomenin thoseareas,and teach them about safe hygienepractices” KhodejaKhatun, another member of the Mahila Samity, furtherpronounces.“At first the men were reluctantto let their wivesattend the meetings.They were conservativein this respect.Later on, after listening to what we talked about, they wereconvinced about the good of the meetings. The sanitationcoveragein Borochalavillage is increasingday by day.”

Md. Mizanur Rabman is an Imam hailing from Hobir Ban,Borochala. He has been an Imam since 1985. In 1996, hereceived Imam training conducted by NGO Forum incollaborationwith theRegionalTraining Centresof theIslamic

54

Foundation.TheForum conductsa day long sessionon WatSanduring the Foundationsregularongoingtraining programmes.Mr. Rahmansays,“They learn about hygienepracticesfromreligious books. Cleanlinessplays an important part in theIslamic religion, and all the books,the Quran,Hadith, etc. talkabout the value of good health and hygiene”. Since theorientationhe learnt aboutthewonk theNGOsaredoing in thefield with regardsto health and hygiene.The Imam bookletpublished by NGO Forum was a big help becauseit hadreferencesto the Islamic religious books in mentioning theimportanceof personalhygienepractices,and sanitation,andthe importanceof hygienein practisingreligion. The orientationfurther motivated Mr. Rabman to preach good hygienepractices.He would talk aboutthesematterswhen he visitedhouseholdsin the villages, at religious sittings such as WajMahfils, during Friday prayers,andat themosque.

In a predominantlyIslamic country like Bangladesh,Imamsarevery respectedmembersofsociety.Peoplelisten to themwhenthey preachthe word of God. The Imams commanda greaterrespectbecauseof their religious ties, and thus, the ImamOrientation, by NGO Forum through its partners,is gearedtowards motivating them to preachWatSanpractices. HobirBan has30-35 families, and Mr. Rahmanhascloseties withthemall. Heclaimsthat all the families in this areaarecoveredwith safewaterandhygieniclatrines.“Such teachingsshouldberepeatedcontinuously.Peopleforget the most importantfactorof life - Death. Why should they remembera comparativelytrivial matterlike safe WatSan?That is why they needto bereminded,so that they don’t forget, articulatesthe Imam verystrongly”.

The WatSanfair is anotherof the Forum’sefforts to sensitizethe rural folk to the WatSanprogramme.This wasdesignedtosimulateatypical festivefair, while at thesametime familiarize

55

the attendantsto the mechanismsof the WatSanprogramme.The WatSanfair is aided by visual material suchasposters,leaflets, photography, books, and other WatSan materials,audio-visualshows,cultural programmeshighlighting WatSanissues, demonstrations of hygienic latrines, and watertechnologiesaccompaniedby basic information. The fair isattendedby a large number of people, including communitywomen,opinion leaders,students,teachers,andothers.Thefair,organizedonce a year at eachregional demarcationof NGOForum with the co-operationof the partner NGO, helps tospreadawareness,andpromotetheWatSanideal.

The traditional, conservativevaluesof the village societyhadoften frowned upon girls attendingschools.Thesevictims ofcircumstancewereoften left in thedark aboutimportantissues,healthand hygieneamongthem. In an attemptto reachtheseyoung women who were not allowed, or could not attendschools,and arenow too old to attendthem, NGO Forum, incollaborationwith its partnerNGOsarrangesfor aNon-SchoolGoing Girls’ Orientationprogramme.This orientationteachesyoung womenthe effectsof openlatrines, the diseasesspreadhence,the value of drinking safe water from tube-wells,usinghygienic latrines, and basic health and hygiene information.Zohura Akhter of Pahankucha,Comilla, says that afterattending the Non-School Going Girls’ Orientation, shepersuadedher family membersto install a hygienic latrine intheirhouse.Previouslythey had an open latrine, and until sheattendedthe Orientation,shedid not know that the abundanceof sickness in the family was often the cause of usingunhygienic latrines. Like Zohura, most of the other youngattendeesof the Orientation claim that they have installedhygienic latrines in their houses,and teachtheir children andfamily membersgoodhygienepracticesandto usesafewater.

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The Youth Orientationis anotherdynamictool of reachingthepeoplethroughthe peoplethemselves.Theyouthof thevillageare the future of the society.NGO Forum, with help fràm itspartnerNGO,andtheassistanceoftheYouth DepartmentoftheGovernmentof Bangladesh,organizesyouth trainingto usethispotential manpowerto spreadWatSanconsciousness,not onlyamongthem, but also amongthe village community.To date,1618 young men have received training in the youthprogramme.Raju Bhottacharjo,a memberof a youth groupinDolpara, Sitakundu, Chittagong, says that whilst they knewaboutthe importanceofusing safewater,andhygienic latrines,theYouth Orientationhelpedthemto learnthereasonbehinditsimportance, and the correct ways to maintain hygiene andsanitationin thehomes.

The meansof reachingpeoplethroughRally, Miking, etc. havealso proved successfulin extendingthe WatSanidea to thosewho areunableto, or reluctantto attend meetings,orientation,etc. Theseare organizedas campaignactivities, and attractpeople through their festive atmosphere.Asiya Khatun ofBorochala says, “MQst of the villagers join and follow theprocessionasit passesby their houses.The rallies are festiveand the peoplecarry paintedpostersand bannerswhich carrythe WatSanslogans.Therally oftenendsat theUnion Parishadwhere a video film is shown demonstratingsafe hygienehabits”.

The Forum has printed up and distributed various posters,leaflets,flip charts,etc. to assistin the implementationof theirsoftwareactivities. The walls of a primary informal school inDolpara, Chittagong, are paperedwith postersdepicting safeWatSanandhygienepractices.Along with regularstudies,suchsafe water and sanitation ideals are also taught to the youngchildren. Most of the offices of the partnerNGOs working inthe various regionsalsodisplayWatSanposters.Theseposters

58

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serveas a constantreminderto the peopleaboutsafe hygienepractices.

A numberof promotionalvideo films have beencreatedandused in various activities like training, orientations, LocalDiscussionForums,CourtyardMeetings,andotherpromotionalactivities.NGO Forum also solicits radio spotson BangladeshBetar, and television spots for advertisementson BangladeshTelevision to extend the WatSanreach.The impact of theseforms of media coverage has been favourable, and thecommunity peopleare receptiveto and are felt to retain themessagesof theadvertisements.

The use of softwareactivities suchas those mentionedhavefurtheredthe WatSancausebecauseof its very natureof totalcommunitymobilization. Wherevillage meetingsmight havefailedto reachtheentirecommunity,the individualemphasisongroupshave beenmore fortunate.Such individual orientationsand training programmeshave also focusedon the individualneeds of the people, and helped to address them. Theaccompanying communication materials serve to furtherillustratean~ldemonstratetheteachingsof WatSan.

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Iron RemovalPlant BecomingPopular

“Water, water,everywhere,Nor any drop to drink”

This is almostthecasewith thepeoplein thecoastalbelt. Thestruggle for safe drinking water is a grim fact for them.

Therewasatime whenpeopledrankwaterfrom reservedpondswithout knowing how harmful it was for their health. Pondwaterservedfor all thepurposeslike householdusesorcookingor drinking. As a result diarrhoea and other water-bornediseaseswere their never-parting companions.But a newapproachhasbeenstartedin the drinking watersupply sectorsincethe sixties. Tubewell installationactivities wasstartedtosupply water from underground. But this work becomesdifficult and at some places impossible in the coastalareasbecauseof the geophysicalcharacteristicsof thearea.Not onlythat, the tubewellswhich havealreadybeeninstalled in theseareas,createa newcrisis — thepresenceoftoo muchiron in thewater makesit almost unusable.Different types of intestinaldiseasesarethe resultsof drinking the iron contaminatedwaterthroughoutthe coastalareas.

Although deeptubewellshavebeeninstalledat placesto supplywaterwith tolerablelimit of iron andsalinity, but it is not beingpossiblethroughoutthe entire coastalareas.This fact leadstonewthoughtsandresearchand developmentactivities to makewateriron-free.As aresulta local technologyhasbeeninventedto removeiron from water.This successhasnot beenachievedsince long. By now as many as twenty Iron Removal Plantshave beeninstalledin some villagesof SatkhiraandBagerhat.Sucha planthasbeeninstalledin themarket-villageRahimpur.This plant is made of bricks and ferocementand has been

61

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installedneara shallowtubewell.A pipeconnectsthetankwiththe tubewell. The tank has a CI sheet cover. It has threechambers.The water comesdirectly from the tubewell to beaccumulated in the upper-chamber.The middle-chambercontainsbrick-chipsto makethe water iron-free.Water passesfrom the upperlayer throughthe mid-layer and iron-freewateris accumulatedin thelower-chamber.

But it needsmentioningherethat, it cannotbe measuredhowmuch iron is removedfrom waterthroughthis plant. TheNGOForum representativessay that this technology has beenintroducedasanexperiment.But soonresearchwork would bestartedto measurethe level of iron in water.Thesuccessofthisexperimentalworkwill createthe opportunityof extensiveworkthroughoutthe coastalregion. The constructioncostof an IronRemoval Plant rangesfrom six thousandto seven thousandTaka.The beneficiaryfamilies share25% of the costwhereasNGOForumprovides75%costthroughits partnerNGOs.

ZahanaraKhatun, an userof the Rahimpur IRP plant finds thewatervery good when she drinks it. But it takes3/4 hours tobring 40/50 litres of waterat the lower layer of the tank afterpurification. Moreover it needsto clean the brick chips everyten days. Otherwisethe purification processbecomesslower.Accordingto Zahanara,althoughtheiron-freewatertastesgoodwhen drank, but it cannotbe usedfor cooking rice, becauseitmakesthe rice too soft. But SakhinaBegumdoesnot think thatthis is thecase.

This Iron Removal Plant has been installed by ten familiesincluding Zahanara’sfamily. But they opinethat one plant canmeetthewholedemandof waterof threefamiliesonly.

The implementationof this plant hasbeencarried out by theNGO “Shushilan” under Kaliganj thanaof Satkhiradistrict.

63

Accordingto theirsurvey andweeklyreviewreport, therateofintestinal diseases and other water-borne diseases havedecreasedconsiderablyamongthe membersof the beneficiaryfamiliesasaresultofdrinking iron-freewater.

Under this project with the technical and financial supportofNGO Forum, Shushilan, Shetu, Uddipan, Nabolok Parishad,Prodipan,andReshilpi— theseNGOshaveinstalled20 IRPs inSatkhiraandBagerhatdistricts. The concernedpersonssaythatthis technologyhasbegunto gainpopularity amongthe coastalcommunity.TheuserZahanaraalsoechoesthem.

64

United We Stand...

W ith the dawnof a newday, and new hopesfor the future,thepeopleof Maliparadid awaywith theirold name,and

becamethe newvillage of Dolpara, in Shitakundo,Chittagong.They were indeedonce a pitiful story, eking out a miserableexistence,living in a stateof poverty and filth. The men andwomenworked as latrine cleaners,and this occupation,morethananythingelse,ensuredthat theywerenot confrontedwith adifferent,better,andcleanerwayoflife. Themendrankin theirfreetime, andtheirchildren roamedwild with no advantagesofa school education. The community was far from healthconscious,andno oneevenexpectedor hopedfor abetterlife.

Young Power in Social Action or YPSA as it is morecommonlyknown,is a partnerNGOof NGOForum, concernedwith socialdevelopmentwork. Theyarein groupformationandsavings, safe water supply, non-formal education, HIV andAIDS awareness and prevention, anti-drugs awareness,maternaland child health careand family planning,gardeningand nutritional education, credit programme, socialafforestation, and cultural development. YPSA is alsoresponsiblefor spreadinghealthand hygieneawarenessin thispoverty-stricken village of Dolpara. This organization alsoplaysanactiverole in empoweringthepoor,especiallywomen,through active participation of organized groups andcommitteesat the grassrootslevel. YPSA is also attemptingtotransformthe inactive young men and women of the societyinto skilled humanresourcesand engagethem in developmentactivities.

It is astonishingto think that suchawarenessis responsibleforthe drasticway in which the lives of the people of Dolparachanged,but it is true. The teachingsof YPSA brought about

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health and hygiene consciousnessamong the people. Theyworkedto bring safewaterandhygieniclatrinesinto thevillage,and imposepersonalhygiene standards.It helped those whowere interestedin such issues, to further spreadawarenessamongthe village people.In striving for a cleanerway of life,thecommunitywasalsono longersatisfiedwith theirprevailingcircumstances.They rallied for a better life, respectablejobs,and an improvedstandardof living. They wantedto change-

changeto reflect theirnew-foundawarenesson how to live.

To reachall community groups, and work in unity for socialmobilization,NGO Forum working methodologyintegratesthecommunityinto its developmentprogramme.No developmentprogramme of this sort is successful without the activeparticipationof thepeople.More activethan the NGOsarethevillagepeoplein spreadinginformation,andawareness.Humannatureis suchthatone is morelikely to listen to, and hearone’sown. NGO Forum’s communityapproachand managementinWatSanpromotion strives to involve the cross-sectionof thevillage.Thepartnershavetherefore,takenthis initiative in theirstride.

The various groups in the Dolpara play an important role inNGOForum’sandYPSA’s work in thevillage.Onesuchgroupis the Durjoy Singh, a youth group. They starteda few yearsago, and currently boast 15 members.Although they areprimarily a recreationclub, they also work towards spreadingsocial consciousness,talk about health and sanitation issues,and are generally involved in social work. While previouslyaquatintedwith suchissues,theycredit YPSA with theirfurtherawareness,which they learnt after a conventionwith YPSA.YPSA motivates the group in their work, often giving themrecreationalmaterials,suchasbats,balls,clothes,etc.

66

Liton KumarDas,aSSC student,is thecurrentpresidentof theDurjoy Singh. Hesaysthat in thebeginning,thevillagerswouldnot listen to their teachings.But they persevered,and thisconstantrepetitionof the issues,combinedwith the impactofNGO Forum’ssoftwareactivities, suchas school programme,imam training, etc., compelled the villagers to pay moreattention.Thegroupalsotries to spreadAIDS awarenessamongthe villagers. They often hold discussionsin the village, andinvite the communityto attend. “They might not listen to oneperson,but wheneveryoneis sayingthe samething, they haveto listen.The peoplewill spendmoneyto buy latrinesoncetheyunderstandthat they will not have to incur more expensivemedical bills by using unhygienic sanitationsystems”. Theyouthsalso attempt to help villagers in need,especiallysinglemothers who are often unable to fend themselvesand theirchildren.

Anothersuchgroupin thevillage is theYPSA MaliparaMahilaSamity. This is not one, but 12 womengroups,eachworkingtowards the samesocial objectives.ChampaMalakar is thechairpersonfor one of these women groups. The gi~upisinvolved in income generating activities, geared towardswomen.In additionto theirregularwork, thegroupalsospreadshealth and hygieneconsciousness.They hold meetingseveryweek, whereamongothers,sanitationissuesarealso addressed.YPSA hasalsohelpedthesewomengroupswith thepurchaseoflatrine sets. By addressingand motivating the indigenousgroups in the village, an attempt is made for overallconsciousness.

A numberof the men and women from thesegroups, haveattendedthe Local DiscussionForumor LDF, anotherinitiativeof NGO Forum to get the communityworking togetherfor asaferenvironment.Thesediscussionshave a large attendance,counting YPSA officers, Imams, priests, local government

67

workers,communitypeople,etc.,in its numbers.Sanitationandhealth issues, disease awareness, and general villagedevelopmentareamongthe topics addressedat thesemeetings.LDFs areheld2-3 times a yeardependingon the need,and arejointly fundedby NGO Forum and YPSA. Thesediscussionshavehelpedto a largeextentin spreadinghealthconsciousness,andsanitaryhabitsamongtheDolparavillagers.A lot ofpeoplehad open latrines before, but after attending the LDFs, theylearnedaboutthe value of hygienic sanitarylatrines, washinghandsbeforeeating,andafterdefecation,wearingsandalsto thelatrines, etc. It is also through the LDF that the villagedevelopmentcommitteeis created.

“If you go undera banyantree,you get shade.YPSA is like abanyantreefor us”. Theseare thewordsof Ranjit Das,aretiredmechanicalengineerof thePowerDevelopmentBoard.Mr. Dasis also a priest and a respectedmemberof society, and thecurrent chairman of the Village Development Committee(VDC) in theseparts. He got involved with YPSA becauseheapproved of their work with education,health and hygiene,afforestation,recreation,etc.Theyhavearecreationclub in thevillage centre which housesall the recreationmaterials,andprovides th~space for a primary informal school. Theircommitteemotivatesthe various groupsin the village to workfor the various developmentprojects, suchas tree plantation.Mr. Dashasplantedtreein his own yard,andencouragesothersto do the same.TheVDC also motivatesfamilies to sendtheirchildrento school. It is asa resultofthecommittee’swork thatmostofthe childrenin thevillage now attendschool,andall theyoung men of the local youth group are educated,Mr. Dasproudly claims. The VDC works for health and hygieneconsciousness.In helping thepeopleget coveredby safewaterandhygieniclatrines,theyhaveprovidedloansfor thepurchaseof safewatertechnologies,andlatrines.Theyhavebanishedall

68

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tracesof their earlier life, profession,and unhealthy drinkinghabits.

Although the word “Mali” is intended to mean a flowergardener,the peopleof Dolparasee it as a reflectionof theirearlierlife aslatrinecleaners.Theword Mali, forming thename“Malipara” is crossedout on the sign on the tree advertisingentranceto thevillage. In its place in theword Do! (referringtoa Hindu festival) - it signifies more than a name change,itsignifies a completechangein the way of life, attitudes,anddefinitely, thedreamsfor thefuture.

NGO Forum’s community approach and managementprogrammewas gearedtowards social mobilization. In thisundertakingit embarkedon a plan of implementationthroughits partnerNGOs, involving a numberof activities. The on-goingactivities involved include National Workshops,HygieneEducationProgran~mes,Village Level Discussions,Meetingswith Community People, Discussion Forums with Imams,SchoolBasedDiscussionForums,Rally, Miking, theformationof a ThanaAdvisory Committee,and many others.Theprojectwas implementedto ensure the participation of people fromdifferentwalksof life, elicit their response,determinetheir role,andcreatea systemof accountabilitythroughparticipation.Thelevels of system ranged from the highest planning andimplementinginstitutionsto thegrassroots.

NGO Forum’s working tactics dictate that eachpartnerNGOselect2 villages for 100% sanitationcoverage.Previously,thevillage coveragewasscatteredaseachNGOtriedto work in toomany villages. With this new systemof 2-100%,the partnerswereable to focuson theirrespectiveselections,andtherestrivefor 100%coverage.Peoplewerethus adequatelyaddressedandprovidedwith safewater,andsanitationsystems.Palli UnnayanParishad,or PUP, is anotherpartner NGO of NGO Forum

70

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working in two villagesin Comilla. Pahankuchawasthevillagetheyfirst targetedfor 100%coverage.With thehelpofthe localvillage developmentcentre,this wasachievedby the next fourmonths. In future, they will selecttwo morevillages for 100%coverage.

Previously,whenonly private latrine producersweresupplyingthe village, the coveragewas far less than the 100%. NGOForum’sefforts of involving theprivateproducersof sanitationequipmentin helping to spreadgood hygienepracticesanduseof safe water, and offer the quality sanitaryequipmentat lowprices,hadnot beenworkedupon in this area.As a result, theprivate producersshowedno initiative in informing thepeoplethe benefitsof using hygienic latrines,keepingthem clean, etc.PUP set up a village sanitationcentre (VSC) after receivinginitial funding from NGO Forum in February 1998. The VSCwassetup to produceand provide various typesof latrine setsfor the village community. It operateson a revolving fund,selling thesets,andusing themoneyearnedto buy thematerialsfor the next production.The latrine producesabout 50 sets onan averageper month.The objectivein establishinga VSC inthe village wasnot only one of latrine set supply, but also toprovidethebuyerswith informationaboutthe sets,how to keepthem clean, etc. It also ensuredthat thevillagers were gettingquality equipmentat low pricesassetby thestandardsof NGOForum.

Two masontooktechnicalskills masontraining from theForumin Noahkhali, and started work here when they got back.MozammelHossainis the chiefmasonin this VSC. He usedtowork in latrineproductionbefore,but cameto work for hereinPahankuchaonce the VSC was established.The training, hesays furthered his knowledge about latrine production, andtaughthim newer,advanced,and morehygienictechnologiesinlatrine production.He hasalso trained other latrine producers

72

on latrinetechnologieswhich aregreatlydemanded.As a resultof thetraining, he also is more awareof the needfor hygienicsanitationhabits,suchaswashinghands,wearingsandalsto thelatrine, and makes it his duty to inform his customers.Hebelievesthat if thepeopleareduly motivated,they will buy andinstall the latrines. -

In addition to providing the villagers with easy accesstohygienic latrines,NGO Forum also tries to providesafewatertechnologiesto the villagers. It does so through its partnerNGOs,which distributetube-wells,pumps,etc.to theirtargetedgroupsin the villages.The tube-wellsare thenprovidedto thecommunity,with the condition that the installation costs, i.e.digging, cementing,etc., are to be borne by the community.This cost sharing concept is to instill a senseof belongingamong the village community - something they have spentheard-earnedmoney on and are therefore,more motivated touse.Sinceit is not possibleto coverall theareas,theForumhastargetedfor coverage,with the present475 VSCs, these arerelocated.When 100%coveragein one village is achieved,theVSC is movedto a different village for coverage.This ensuresthe maximum number of communities are covered by thelimited numbersofvillage sanitationcentre.

At the sametime as proving this sort of material help to thecommunity. PUP also has integrateda community approachmuch like YPSA. Womenplay an importantrole in the familyand communityin WatSanmanagement.It is theywho bring inthe waterfor daily use,for drinking and cooking,and takecareof the family, and maintain the household.It is necessarytoapprisethem of safe water sources,the necessityof teachingtheir children sanitarylatrine habits, keepingthe latrine clean,etc.Womenwill also tell otherwomenandmothersaboutsuchimportant issues,and thus spread safe water and sanitationhabits. Women are yet not consciousabouttheir rolein such

73

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matters.It is crucial that thesewomenareawareof therole theyplay in WatSanmanagement,and arethus, targetedto promotesafewater and sanitationhabits amongthe membersof theirown families.

TheNon-SchoolGoing Girls’ Orientationis a step in the rightdirection in apprisingwomenof their importantrole in WatSanmanagement.Zohura Akhter is one young attendeein theOrientationprogrammein Pahankucha,Comilla, under PUP’sadvisory. She says that 4 months ago after attending theOrientation,shelearnedaboutthe ill-effects of unhygienicopenlatrines, and installed a water-seallatrine. The orientation isgearedtoward teaching young women the effects of openlatrines,the diseasesspreadhence,the value of drinking safewater from tube-wells, etc. The orientation reachesyoungwomenwho do not havethebenefitof schooleducationandarenow too old to attendschool. It is importantthat thesewomenwho are involved in daily household chores, are taught safewaterand hygienic sanitationhabits. Zohura Akhter sayssheinstalled a hygienic latrine because“even if she might notconsiderit necessary,she has no right to expose the peoplearoundher to unsafe,pollutedenvironmentcausedby an openlatrine”.

The impact of the community approachin both the areassurveyedhave shown a favourable upward progresstowardstotal safe water and hygienic sanitation. There has been amarkedincreaseddemandfor hygienic latrines, aswell as fortube-wells,and othersafewatertechnologiesin the interventionareas. The use of tube-wells for safe water, and latrines forhygienic sanitation use have lessenedthe previously wide-spreaddiarrhoea,and otherdiseases.Moreover, the peoplearedefinitely morehealth conscious,and it is easierfor the moreknowledgeablepeople to spreadhealth awarenessamongthevillagers. It is not only NGO Forum and its partnerswhich

75

considerthemselvessuccessful.Thecommunitypeopleworkingfor a better, cleanertomorrow, are also proudto acknowledgethe successof theirwork and the responsetheyhave receivedfrom the villagers working with them, despitetheir previousbeliefs.

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Arsenic Turns Pump-Water intoVillain or Victim?

T he tube-wells stood but a bare 20 feet apart. Yet, onedispensedsafe, unadulterateddrinking water, while the

otherwasdeadly in the extreme,containingarsenicwell overthe acceptedsafe levels.Thesetube-wellswere locatedwithinthe office perimeterof Gono Kallyan Trust (GKT) a partnerNGO of NGOForum,also dealing in safewaterand sanitation,locatedin the Saturiavillage in Manikganjdistrict.

More than 90% of the peopleof Bangladeshget their drinkingwater from the million plus tube-wellsthat havebeeninstalledfor the anti-diarrhoeacampaignto reducewaterbornediseases.Now severalare dispensingarseniclacedwaterwith the resultthat many people are now showing signs of arsenic relateddiseases.This situationhasacceleratedin thepasttwo yearsto adegreesuchthat currently more than 40 districts of the 64 inBangladeshareaffectedby arsenic,and 220,000people,as ofJune 1998 are supposedlyat risk. Arsenic is a metalloidsubstancethatis commonlyfoundin groundwater,andis beingspreadthrough the useof deeptube-wells,which have beentargetedasthe origin of chronicarseniasis.The shallow tube-well waters in some areasof Chandpur,Barisal, Jessore,andKushtia are heavily contaminatedwith arsenicranging from0.01mgto 3.0mg per litre. Thewatersof 56% oftube-wellsareabovethe World HealthOrganizationmaximumtolerablelimitof 0.05mg/i. In theseareas,the intenselycontaminatedtube-wells have been sealedby the Departmentof Public HealthEngineering(DPHE) without funding out any alternatesafedrinking waterfacility.

Concernedorganizationshave, over the decades,encouragedtheuseof pump technologiesfor safegroundwateraccess.The

77

rationale being this emphasis was that groundwater wasaffordable,and closeto the community. Groundwaterwas alsosafefrom pollutantsandbiological contamination.However,thestartof the GreenRevolutionin the I 970s, sawthedemandforexcessiveamountsof water for agricultural use to feed thegrowing population. This, in turn, meant an increasein theinstallation of tube-wells, both power and hand driven, andenormousquantities of water were being drawn out fromvariousundergroundsources.While theamountof waterbeinglifted for drinking purposeis rechargednaturally, the recentintensivepumping out of water for other useshasbrought theundergroundarsenic into the tube-wells and pumps. Notedspecialistshaveexpressedtheiropinionregardingthecauseandeffect of the arsenic laced water being spreadthrough thegroundwater, via tube-wells and pumps, emphasizing theseverityofthecontamination.

According to MomtazBegum, the Training Officer of GonoKallyanTrust (GKT), an initiative wastakenlastyearby GKT,to test someof the tube-wellsin the village aroundthe office.She herselftested22 of thesetube-wells,and 20 of these22containedquantitiesof arsenic,althoughonly 2 were over the0.05mg/I.Stepshaveyet to be takenregardingthis issue, andsince1997, no othertube-well hasbeentested.Sincethe threatof arsenicis still relatively new, thecommunity is unawareofthe arsenicsituation and the threat it poses.They refuse tobelievein the presenceof arsenic,becausenoneyet havebeenafflicted with the symptoms of arseniasis.The only peoplecognizantof this vital informationareat a loss what to do. Aprogrammeof information disseminationhasbeenundertaken,and stepsto inform the villagers, and takemeasuresto combatthesituationarealsoin thebeginningstages.

Thosewhosedrinking supplyhavebeentestedandknow ofthearsenic contents turn a blind eye to it. While there is no

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substituteremedyavailable, the peoplehave no choice but todrink the contaminatedwater. In most cases, there is noavailability of safe water. Rokeya Akhter faces this grimsituation, being one of the ownersof a contaminatedtube-wellAlthough she is an officer in GKT, and well aware of thehazardsof drinking arsenic laced water, she is left with nochoice but to drink from it. She has no nearbysourceof safewater,not evena pond whereshecould go to obtain andboilthe water. Her only attempt at caution is to filter the water,which maylessentheiron content,but is far from removingthearsenic.Shealsoeatsplenty of freshfruits and vegetablesin thehope that the nutrition will lessen her and her family’ssusceptibilityto arsenicdiseases.Most of the poor folk in thevillagescannotevenutilize this measure.Until an alternativeissuggestedto her, shelike thepeoplearoundhere,will continueto drink arseniclacedwater.

NGO Forum, in its principalrole of advocatingfor safewater,isembroiled in the middle of this dynamic issue. It has beentargetedasthe country’s chiefpatron of the NGOs dealing inwatersupply and sanitation.Its programmeof encouragingtheinstallation and use of tube-wells, and pumps for safe waterwhich aredispensingthe contaminatedwater,hascomeunderpublic scrutiny. The Forum facesthe dilemma of whether tosealoff the tube-wells,thus exposingmillions of people~otherisks and hazards of diarrhoea from unsafe water, or toimplement a system of purification, yet unknown, thetechnologyfor which may both be impractical and expensivefor the rural masses. Momtaz Begumsaysit well whensheremarks,“Over the past decadewe taught the people not todrink pondwater,which wasvery harmful and unsanitary.Weenforcedthe installationanduseof tube-wellssayingthat, onlytheseshould be usedfor drinking and cooking.Now if weturnaroundand tell them not to usewater from the tube-wellsandinsteadusepond water, they are going to comeafter us with

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sticks”. Habituatingthepeopleto drink tube-well waterwastheresult of a long and arduousprocess,getting them to changeonceagainmay takenanotherdecadewhich would proveto betoo long.

Both RokeyaAkhter and Momtaz Begum agreethat it is, atpresent,uselessto inform the people about the severity andaffects of drinking and cooking with arsenic contaminatedwater.Until a substituteis suggested,andmadeavailableto thepeoplethey will continueto drink thewater. Although rumoursof arsenicwere initially scary, situationshave compelledthepeople to continue using the water, falsely believing thatnutritiousfoodswill entirelycountertheeffectsofthearsenic.

NGO Forum is attemptingto dealwith the situation,the best itcan. It is supporting its partner NGOs in undertaking thebiennial testing and inspection if its tube-wells, and wherearseniclevels exceedthe WHO safetylevelsof 0.05mg/i, thetargetedtube-wells are marked. In addition, testing is alsoundertakenduring theinstallationofnewtube-wells,andwherethere is a probablerisk of arseniccontamination,plans forinstallationareabandoned.Marking the tube-wellswasa moreviable alternative than a complete seal-off, for, while thesewells cannotbe usedfor drinking or cooking,they canbeusedfor otherpurposes.However,this alsoposesaproblem.Almost100% use of tube-well water is for drinking and cookingpurposes.There is little effectof telling the peoplenot to usetheir chief sourceof water for internaluse,while at the sametime not beingableto suggestthe substitute.At presentthereisnot evena markingsystemimplementedin the Saturiavillageof Manikganj district. “What is the useof marking when thevillage peoplewill continueto drink thewaterregardless?”saysMomtaz Begum. “Find us an alternative,and we will ensurethat thevillagersaresuitably informedandmotivatedto usethesubstitute safewater”. It is this searchfor substitutemethodsof

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obtainingwaterwhich is hinderingtheForum and its partners’work.

In its role of familiarizing the rural folk with the arsenicsituation, NGO Forum has incorporatedarsenic issues in itsregularly conductedtraining courses’ agenda.Thesecoursesbenefit not only the partnerNGOs, but also the communitypeople, and it is encouragedthat these people will furtherdisseminate the information among the relevant persons.MosharafHossainPannu, the personin chargeof the SanitaryProgrammeof Gono Kallyan Trust (GKT), was one of the twopeople,who had completeda 3-day NGO Forum conductedtraining course on arsenic. The training course, he said hadprovidedvaluableinformationaboutthearseniccompound.Theissuescoveredincludedthesourcesof safewater,the natureofthe arseniccompound,how it is spread,and how it attacks,thesteps by which arsenic is spread in undergroundwater, thearsenicsafety levels,the useof arsenicin day to day use,thearsenicsituation in Bangladesh,the victims, symptoms, andcure of arsenic, and other related issues. According to thetraining course,2300peoplehaveacutearseniasis,althoughtheunofficial numbersare supposedto be much greater.Problemsarise becausemost arsenic symptoms are confused withmalnutrition, and it is further true that most older people,40years and above,deficient in Vitamins A, C, and E are mostsusceptibleto arsenicrelateddiseases.

Participationin the training workshopis one of the first stepsGKT is taking to combatwith arsenicsituation in the village.Now will ensuethelaborioustaskoftelling thepeopleaboutthesituation, making them aware of cause and effects, andpersuadingthem to take combatantmeasures.By the NGOForum guidelines,GKT must now undertakethe testing of allthe tube-wellsin the area,reportingon the stateof affairs, andmark the affected tube-wells. In addition, a programmeof

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disseminatingtheinformationto the public must be undertakenimmediately, and the community must be mobilized to assistwith this. Mr. Hossainstaunchlybelieves that they will besuccessfulin this initiative, and doesnot sharehis colleaguesdismalview ofthesituation.He is readyto startwith aprogramof indoctrination,andtrainingofthevillage folk.

In most regions of the country, an effective combativeprogrammehas still to be undertaken.Thepeopleof Sitakunduin Chittagongare still unawareof a substancesuchasarsenic.Yet, arsenichasbeenfound in their tube-well waters,and is inmany cases over the accepted0.OSmg/l safety level. Theofficers of Young Power in Social Action or YPSA is thepartnerNGO of NGO F’orum working in this region.They arereluctantto inform thepeopleaboutthearseniccontentin theirwaters, until have a plan of action to dealwith the situation.Accordingto thedirectorof YPSA,Arifur Rahman,theydo notwant to alarm the peoplewith the arsenicsituation. That willonly createpanicamongthe village folk, and they will demanda substitutesolutionwhich is notavailableto YPSA. YPSA hasyet to undertakeany measures,suchastesting,participatinginarsenictrainingcourses,etc., to dealwith thepredicament.Mr.Rahmanfeels that theybelatedlyreceivedword of the arsenicsituation, and that the relevant authoritiesshould have beenmoreexpeditiouswith thereleaseof suchinformation.

NGO Forum declaresthat “the strategyof telling all theNGOsto seal off their tube-wells is too drastic a measure.All thetubewellsarenot supplying arsenic,and until an alternativeisfound,sealingoff all thetube-wellsis too extremea step.Thereis still no widely acceptedbeliefas to the root causeof arsenicpollution. There is even much doubt as to the currentlypublicized information about the arsenicsituation. Hence, sofar, NGO Forum will abideby its standof merely testing andmarkingthe affectedtube-wells,andat thesametime, continue

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its researchinto the causeandsolutionof this situation”.NGOForum organizeda NationalSeminarto markthe World WaterDay on

22nd March 1998. Theprimaryobjectiveof theSeminar,titled “GroundwaterResource:BangladeshPerspective”,wastocritically analyzethe groundwateras a resource,its decliningtrend and pollution, and the adverseeffect on domestic watersupply, social implication of the phenomena,and its effect ongenderand development.The Seminar,which wasattendedbyrepresentativesfrom various organizations,donor agencies,UN-bodies, World Bank, NGO community, and the massmedia,addressedthethreatof arsenicfrom groundwater.

NGO Forum’s present initiatives in tackling the arsenicsituation are immediate and temporary measures.It is alsoworking with different, more permanent, surface watertreatmentmethods,such aspond sand filtration system, rain-waterharvesting,andothers,which are safefrom arsenic.Thesetreatmentmethodsarecurrently beingundertakenin thecoastalareas,andtheareasheavily affectedby arsenic.

The Pond Sand Filter (PSF) is a very simple and low-costtechnology,which is appropriatefor purifying pond waterinthecoastalbelt. Filtration is a processof water purificationin whichwaterfrom a sedimentationtank is allowedto passthrougha bedof filtering media, usually sand and khoa, and the filtrate iscollectedin a storagetank through an under-drainsystem. Thefilter media is very efficient in removingcolour,odour,turbidity,Iron, andmanganese.ThePSF systemensures,that a) the filteredwaterwill be safeto drink, b) thewaterwill be clearandclean,c)the iron content will be at a minimum, d) the salinity will beminimal, e) the water will be palatable,and 1) the water will besuitablefor domesticuse.

The Rain-Water Harvesting System is also another viablealternativeto the arsenicsituation. Such rain water collection

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systemshavebeenusedsinceancienttimesand evidenceof roofcatchment systems date back to early Roman times. Thetechnologyalso has a long history in Asia, where rainwatercollection practicescanbeentraced back almost 2000 years inThailand. In Bangladesh,traditional rain water collection havebeenusedin the coastalregionsand Hill Tract areasfrom manyyears.Peopleusedlargeearthenpotsto storerain wateranduseinthe dry spells. The problems with ground and surface watersupplies such as salinity, contamination,etc. have leadto thedevelopmentof the rain water harvestingsystem.Roof tops aremostcommonlyusedasthecatchment.Therain is collectedinto asuitable storageor tank by meansof an inlet structure,whichcollects the water running off the sloped or horizontal roofsurface.The rain water harvestingsystemis affordable,reliableand easily constructed. It provideswater which is clean andofgoodquality.

AlthoughNGO Forum plays an apexrole in spreadingthe useof safe drinking water, and water supply, it should not be leftalone in this field of maintaining the existing safe watercoverage.All the sectoralorganizationsworking in this capacityshould contribute in ensuringsafe water. NGO Forum alongwith its partnersis also endeavouringto communicateto therural peoplethe importanceof being familiar with the arsenicsituation.As it is not possiblefor the Forumto test all its tube-wells, the communitypeoplearealso beingurgedto takewatersamplesfrom the wells for testing, including thosewhich arenot NGO Forum installed.They recommendthat the affectedwells be marked, and not used for drinking and cookingpurposes,although it is safe for external use. Communitymobilization is a necessaryeffort to combat the arsenicsituation, and although alternative methodsof obtaining safedrinking waterare being suggestedand in a lot of instances,utilized effectively, thegravityof thesituationis still severe.

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Abbreviations

ADAB : AssociationofDevelopmentAgenciesinBangladesh

AIDS : AcquiredImmuneDeficiencySyndromeAPHD : AsianPartnershipfor HumanDevelopmentCBO : CommunityBasedOrganizationCDD : Centrefor Disability DevelopmentDPHE : Departmentof PublicHealthEngineeringGKT : GonoKallyan TrustHDP : HumanDevelopmentProgrammeIRP : Iron RemovalPlantLDF : Local DiscussionForumNAF : NayanAction FoundationNGO : Non-GovernmentOrganizationPKSF : Palli KarmaSahayakFoundationPSF : PondSandFilterPUP : Palli UnnayanParishadRWHS : Rain-WaterHarvestingSystemSPUS : Samajkallyan-O-PalliUnnayanSangsthaSSC : SecondarySchoolCertificateTOT : TrainingofTrainersVDC : Village DevelopmentCommitteeVSC : Village SanitationCentreWatSan : Waterand SanitationWHO : World HealthOrganizationYPSA : YoungPowerin SocialAction

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