Environmental Screening on PSFs Installed Under RVCC Project in Paikgacha Upazila, Khulna.

The Project titled Reduce Vulnerability to Climate Change (RVCC) of CARE-Bangladesh constructed two Pond Sand Filters (PSF) at Faridabad village in Garuikhali union and Betbunia village in Saladana union of Paikgacha upazila of Khulna district to improve the drinking water situation of the area. NGO Forum conducted the environmental screening of two PSFs constructed by Unnayan Sangstha under RVCC project.

The key objective of the Study was to have a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact of PSFs installed under RVCC project. The results of the environmental screening of two PSFs clearly show that the project have positive implications in making available safe water to the people of coastal area, which would have health, economic and social benefits in years to come.

To address the problem of safe water supply in the most needed area, Reducing Vulnerability of Climate Change (RVCC) project of CARE–Bangladesh planned to install 6 Deep Tubewells particularly 2 in Debhata, 2 in Chitalmari and 2 in Bagerhat Sadar upazila. The installation of Deep Tubewells under RVCC Project required an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). NGO Forum carried out the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Project.

The general objective of EIA for Deep Tubewell installation was to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact of installation of Deep Tubewells under RVCC project. The Study concludes that availability of safe water to the people of coastal belt had remained outside the focus of the government, development agencies and world institutions. Therefore, people of this area deserve priority in this regard by exploration of possibilities to identify more confined aquifer in one hand and facilitation of other alternative sources, low-cost household based rain-water technology in particular on the other.

CThe Community-managed Water and Sanitation Programme in Coastal Areas of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar Districts was undertaken by NGO Forum for the period of two years from 2003 to 2004. The KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) Study was conducted to apprehend the present status of knowledge, attitudes and practice level regarding water, sanitation and hygiene behaviour in these villages as well as the changes occurred through the programme intervention.

The Study findings reveal that the WatSan knowledge of these villages has been improved significantly. On an average 70.8% people have come to know the causes of diarrhoeal diseases and consequences of drinking unsafe water being mobilized under the Project. The incidences of diarrhoeal diseases have been reduced markably.

After accumulating all the findings under this Study and comparing with the baseline study it has been proven that the knowledge, attitude and practice level of the community people in relation to safe water use, sanitation and hygiene behaviour of the community people can be improved satisfactorily through the implementation of the WatSan programme in a community-managed approach.

CIn order to have an understanding about the reuse of human excreta in the country this Study was carried out in Bagerhat, Faridpur, and Rajshahi districts. The Study reveals that human excreta is used as fertilizer for production of plants, particularly for sowing of plants on ‘saturated’ latrine pit, in the mixture of human excreta with poultry, animal and other organic solid waste including sludge of bio-gas, wastewater for agriculture and aquaculture and for the reproduction of alternative energy through bio-gas plant.

The Study also finds that in reusing human excreta both in agriculture and production of bio-gas particularly its sludge disposal, aspects of environmental pollution, health risk, and agricultural outcomes are the fundamental questions to be addressed in the context of Bangladesh. It is expected that the reuse of human excreta is implemented from the perspective of environmental sanitation, and in this process the key focus should be on ‘adoption of scientific procedure’ in preparing compost and its safe utilization, which would promote well-being of the population.

The Study reaches to the conclusion that when simple and affordable designs are developed and community is willing to be involved in the reuse of human excreta, private sector could be engaged in ensuring the availability of hardware materials in the localities.

“Action Research on Mitigation of Health & Social Consequences of Ground Water Poisoning in Bangladesh” was implemented in one of the five upazilas of Jhenaidah district which is severely arsenic affected. The general objectives of the Project is to mitigate health and social consequences caused by arsenic poisoning of drinking water in the project area, and to improve quality of life for arsenic affected patients and families.

To fulfill the objectives, different type of software and hardware activities were revised and undertaken into implementation based on the findings of the review in the third year of the Project. The Software Activities include various community mobilization activities, different trainings for different groups while the Hardware Activities include installation of different safe water options, screening, water quality testing at laboratory. Health campaign and medical supports to arsenicosis patients were also carried out. Credit support was provided to poor arsenic affected patients and families for income generation.

Reaching in its third year in 2005, the Action Research has been proved to be effective in achieving the goal of social acceptance as well as the improvement of the system through adopting community participation and action. Most of the people of the project area have been drinking safe water and using it for cooking and other domestic purposes.

Income of the affected families is gradually increasing and women are also getting involved in income generating activities, getting empowered and providing support to their families. Patients are coming to the Project Office for regular check-up and for getting treatment from the Medical Officer. The physical condition of the moderately affected patients are improving. In addition the arsenicosis patients are now getting priority in the District and Upazila Health Complexes.

With the goal, improved WatSan situation by ensuring participation at community level, the Action Research was implemented in the severely arsenic affected Babuganj upazila of Barisal district. This was a 5-year project ended in December 2005.

Different software services and hardware supports were performed in line with the goal of the Action Research. Based on the key concern of the Action Research participation of different group of people was ensured to get the expected output of the project. In this line review meetings were organized with Upazila Arsenic & WatSan Committees and Union Arsenic & WatSan Committees. These review meetings helped establishing consensus among the relevant stakeholders regarding the needs to carry out extensive awareness raising activities and work together to solve the arsenic problem in the community.

NGO Forum completed an Action Research on Improved Participatory Approach in Hygiene and Sanitation Promotion in June 2005. Based on the learning and positive direction of that Action Research NGO Forum developed another pilot project Piloting on Promoting Hygiene and Sanitation through Union-based Approach.

NGO Forum conceived that a modification of the community institution centered, village-based approach is needed to develop a model appropriate for union centered development initiatives. This union-centered pilot project incorporated the scaling up of cluster, village, ward and union respectively. The Project continued from June to December 2005. Two unions namely Bagjana under Joypurhat district and Atulia union under Satkhira district were covered under the Project.

The Pilot Project reached to the conclusion that the community people being mobilized under different committees were found capable in managing such type of project including planning, implementation and monitoring the latrine coverage as well as behavioural change activities at the community. Regarding allocation and utilization of the 20% of Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the Union Parishad the Project implementation proved that Union Parishad allocated fund for the hardcore poor households had contributed significantly in the promotion of hygienic latrine coverage. It was also proved that the micro-credit support is not needed if the ADP is properly utilized.

NGO Forum is going to shift its approach in promoting sanitation, water use and hygiene from 2006. In this context it has become necessary to have an assessment about the existing Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) materials and determine the extent to which these materials will be relevant and effective. In order to address these questions a study under the title ‘Direction for Development Communication in Changed Approach Based on Community Feedback’ was carried out in 2005.

The Study selected four villages in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Satkhira and Bagerhat. The Study included informants of six categories: regional programme personnel of NGO Forum, executives of partner NGOs, field staffs of partner NGOs, representatives of Union Parishad, secondary school teachers and female community members.

The Study has revealed that the existing BCC materials are effective and relevant in the context of changing approach of NGO Forum. However, it has also explored the scope, possibilities and means to strengthen communication materials and BCC activities in general.

The Study has arrived to the conclusion that the existing BCC activities including communication materials could be enhanced if the staff who are delivering these materials and engaged in such activities in grassroots level are well trained, skilled and operate within a system of coordination with partner NGOs, local authorities and organizations. Conclusively, existing BCC materials are found to be relevant and effective and it could be further strengthened through developing fresh materials to address Upazila Nirbahi Officers, local leaders, large NGOs, Ansar-VDPs, with special focus on Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and cross-cutting issues such as good governance, gender, poverty & health.