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Introduction: Safe
water supplies and environmental sanitation are vital
for protecting the environment, improving health and
alleviating poverty. A strong tradition of water management
and sanitation coverage is rarely visible in Chittagong
Hill Tract area. While most of the country is flat
and a few feet above the sea level, the CHT in the
Southeast is completely different in physical features,
landscapes, agricultural practices and soil conditions
from the rest of Bangladesh. These conditions have
conspired to deprive most of its ethnic population
with basic services such as access to safe water and
sanitation.
NGO Forum, a lead national water and sanitation (WATSAN)
apex delivery service organization maintains a nation-wide
working structure for more than two decades to facilitate
the supports in a decentralized way. Being the apex
service delivery and networking agency NGO Forum recognized
the urgency of intervening in CHT and thereby this
apex body has been implementing a project titled “Community-Managed
Water Supply and Sanitation Programme for the Rural
Poor of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT)” with the financial
assistance of Flora Family Foundation through Tides
Foundation.
Different studies and researches undertaken by NGO
Forum reveal that the water supply and sanitation
coverage in other parts of the country is higher than
that of the CHT. Therefore there is an urgent need
for the implementation of an integrated water supply
and sanitation project in CHT. More initiatives are
also needed to take for those remote areas are still
out of service. Thus CMWSP-tides foundation project
can be one of the major steps to improve the overall
public health situation of the region.
Project Implementation Area: This
project is being undertaken in six Unions (Betbunia,
Raikhali, Bhaibonchara, Kabakhali, Ruma Sadar and
Taracha) of the three hill districts (Rangamati, Khagrachari
and Bandarban) which have been selected by the partners
PNGOs after their selection. Thus in each district
two Unions are selected as project implementation
area.
Project Duration: July 2008 to June
2010
Project Development objective: To
contribute to a reduction in the incidence of water
and excreta born diseases in the target communities
and thereby contributing to an improvement in the
overall public health condition of the rural poor
of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Specific objectives:
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Strengthen the capacity of
the staff of partner NGOs and members of the community
groups in order to provide and maintain safe water
supply, environmental sanitation and encourage
behavioral change in hygiene practice
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Support the development of
sustainable community based management and community
owned water and sanitation programme
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Increase awareness and knowledge
of water, sanitation and hygiene situation in
the CHT through the dissemination of project learning
Project
Activities: The software
services contribute very effectively to proper utilization
and sustainability of the hardware supports. In strengthening
the capacity of the partner NGOs, community people,
local allies and other relevant groups, the project
will arrange need-based and time-fitting training
programmes including human and technical skill development.
Both human and technical skill development trainings
will be imparted to the beneficiaries and PNGOs for
their skills on production, operation and maintenance
of WatSan facilities.
In order
to create mass awareness, the project will conduct
courtyard sessions with female groups, community meetings
with male groups, local community allies, child focused
discussion, cultural performances/mobile film show,
rallies and miking and thus people can properly internalize
the messages and take into their regular practices.
Through the involvements of the capacitated PNGOs,
community allies, community people and other potential
groups, the project will promote hygiene through mass
awareness and social mobilization.
Under
its hardware supports, the project will provide material
support to the communities to meet the demand raised
in the communities. In regard to ensure safe water
supply, demand responsive, appropriate and affordable
water supply technologies will be provided to the
communities. In relation to sanitation promotion the
project will provide low-cost latrine sets thus people
can have easy access to the sanitation facilities.
On account of this, the project has taken initiative
to provide plastic slab latrine to the communities
which is safe, physically accessible, durable, affordable
and culturally appropriate.
The
Village Development Committees are formed with participation
of the villagers to lead the targeted community in
the implementation of WatSan and hygiene programme.
Furthermore, the project has initiated different types
of promotional measures for the dissemination of project
learning through news letter, case studies, brochure
and increase collaboration with mass media.
Target
Groups: A total of around 2156 households
of six Unions under three hill districts of CHT will
be directly benefited from the project.
Project
expected output:
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Strengthened capacity of staff
of partner organization in the effective implementation
and management of the community managed water
and sanitation programmes.
-
Establishment of community
based management and service delivery groups with
the necessary capacity and appropriate materials
to facilitate and promote the use of safe water
supply, environmental sanitation and hygienic
latrines.
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Improve knowledge attitude
and practice on the use of safe water, environmental
sanitation, and personal hygiene.
-
Fully operational water supply
and sanitation facilities installed and appropriately
maintained.
-
Increased awareness and knowledge
of the water, environmental sanitation and hygiene
situation in the CHT through the dissemination
of project learning.
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