WASH Program: House Hold Water and Sanitation Loan
Name of the Project:
Bangladesh Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Human Capital Development Project
Project Duration and Description:
Bangladesh Government intends to develop rural water sanitation and hygiene for human with finance of World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrusture Investment Bank (AIIB). Project duration is from 2021 to 2025.
Relation between SDG and WASH Program:
The Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) program of HEED Bangladesh is related to SDG 6 (6.1 and 6.2)- ‘’Ensure access to Water and Sanitation for all’’. WASH program’s main objective is to:
- i) Improve access to the water supply, sanitation and hygiene in the selected rural areas in Bangladesh.
- ii) Institutional capacity development for water and sanitation project.
Geographical Area:
Activities of the Program:
- Provide safe, clean water and hygiene for all
- Rapid assessment and rehabilitation of damaged water system
- Provide safe drinking water and construct water treatment tanks
- Build toilet and hygiene facilities.
- Build WASH infrastructure as toilet and community water pumps.
- Also repair or build sewerage system, water storage and water treatment facilities.
- Run hygiene promotion and behavior change activities and improve people’s knowledge about good sanitation and hygiene practice.
- Support communities to effectively manage and maintain their water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
- Arrange training for LE so that they can construct toilet in an improved and hygienic way.
Key Achievement of Last year:
The WASH program started functioning from September 2020. This program has been running its activities among 24,315 beneficiaries. The last year’s (FY-2021-2022) achievement data of this program is presented below:
Expectations and Achievement:
- Improve people’s knowledge about good sanitation.
- Arrange LE training
- Keep the environment free from pollution.
- Behavioral change for the communities to effective management and maintain their water resources.
Success Story: Access to Clean Water Supply for Dolena Begum.
Clean and safe environment is every people’s right. Access to clean water and good hygiene practice not only keeps people thriving but also gives them a healthier start in live.
Dolena lives at Fulerher in Katabari union of Gaibandha Area. Her husband’s name is Raja Miah. Her husband is a building mason. They have 4 members in their family including herself. Dolena is with HEED from 2017. Her group’s name is ‘Korotoa Womens’ Group’. She had a house to live but there are no water facilities in her house. So for pure drinking water she needed to go far away from her house. Though she would collect water from far away places from her house, she could not use pure water for all purposes. And we feel that if we don’t have access to clean water, it affects health, nutrition, education and learning abilities, and it impacts many aspect of human lives. Dolena’s family members also faced such kind of difficulties. Every day they faced many kinds of odds, like diarrhea, body itching etc. Also it was very difficult for Dolena to go far every day 6/7 times, press the tube well and bring water for drinking.
One day she heard that HEED ran a program named WASH. Under this program HEED would give home based water loan. She also learned that under this program water will be provided through taps from indoors to sanitary latrines. Dolena was encouraged to have this Water loan, so she immediately applied for it. Implementation Officer communicated with Dolena, visited her place and decided to provide her 30,000/- taka as Water loan in a very minimum rate of interest. After having the money she instantly built water supply system for her house. Now she is relieved and happy. Her difficult days are over. She praises HEED for always supporting her to overcome her difficulties.
Now they can smoothly run their children’s education, they can meet up their household expenses and pay off their loan installments. Disappointment is over. They are eternally grateful to HEED Bangladesh for freeing them from the curse of poverty. Now they happily think about their wish of next new projects and dream about a better future.
Success Story: Mst. Sohagi Begum’s Twin Pit Toilet
Mst. Sohagi Begum is from Govindaganj Charpara. Her husband’s name is Md. Salam Miah. He is a day laborer. Sohagi is the permanent resident of Govindaganj Municipality. Due to her husband’s minimal income they lived hand to mouth. They didn’t have access to toilet and hygiene facilities. So they didn’t know about the good sanitation and Hygiene practice. For that reason Mst. Sohagi Begum and her family members lived in an unhygienic condition. She and her family members were constantly suffering from various kinds of illness. But they did not have any extra money after paying for all family expenses so that they could get out of this situation.
Mst. Sohagi is a group member of ‘Shefali Womens’ Group’ of HEED Bangladesh. She is with HEED from 2016. One day she heard that HEED ran a program named WASH. Under this program HEED would give home based Sanitation loan. She also came to know that this was for a twin pit toilet. She also came to know that in this toilet when 1 pit is filled then dirt would automatically flow and be automatically transferred to the 2nd pit. This toilet would make environment pollution free and also ensure people’s hygiene. So Mst. Sohagi Begum applied for this Household sanitation loan. After maintaining all the procedures she got taka 22,000/- as loan. Trained LE supported her to build the toilet. They also ensured hygienic facilities.
Now Mst. Sohagi Begum and her family member fill safe. Now they don’t get sick so frequently. Her tricky days are over. She is thankful to HEED for the sanitation support.
Success Story: Chunu Pal’s Twin Pit Toilet
Chunu Pal is the Agrosor member of “Teliyapara Business Group” of HEED Bangladesh under Teliapara Branch. Her husband is a Business man. He has his cloth business. They have one daughter and one son. They have their own house. But their sanitation system was in a very bad shape. They didn’t have any consciousness about hygienic sanitation system. So her family members would always suffer constantly from various diseases. But they didn’t understand what was behind their regular sickness.
One day the Credit Officer of the “Teliyapara Business Group” discussed with her about hygiene system and hygienic latrine. The Credit Officer also said that if people don’t follow the hygienic norms, then they must suffer. The Group coordinating officer also informed them about Household sanitary latrine and household water under WASH program. They discussed about the opportunity of this sanitary latrine. They said that this latrine had Twin Pit. When one pit is filled up then the dirt is transferred to the other pit. So it is very hygienic. After hearing all the good thing about the Twin Pit sanitary latrine Chunu pal decided to build the same. So she took 30,000/- taka loan for building the hygienic sanitary latrine in an easy payment system in low interest rate. When Chunu Pal finished building her sanitary latrine she got 3,000/- taka as incentive money.
Now Chunu Pal’s family members don’t fall sick frequently. They are very happy to have their hygienic toilet. Now they inspire their neighbor’s about the opportunity of the hygienic sanitary latrine. They told them about the sanitation loan, its repayment system and the incentive money. Every one of her locality is now inspired by her.
Chunu Pal is thankful to HEED for giving her the prospect to have a hygienic life and a chance to enjoy a happy and healthy life.
