RAINWATER CHANGES THE ROLE OF WATER IN BANGLADESHI
WOMEN'S LIFE
Munima Sultana (Bangladesh)
A few months before, Khodeza Begum could not think about getting free time. Most ofher time was wasted for routine water collection in a far-flung area. She had to walkmiles, as there was hardly safe water sources nearly. For her, a miracle happened after
the installation of Rain-water Harvest plant in her courtyard.
It makes safe water supply easier than before and lessens the burden of Khodeza's
daily work. Thanks to the NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, anapex body of NGOs working in WatSan sector, who introduced the Rain-water Harvest
System (RWHS) in Kalabaria, a village situated in the southern part of Bangladesh.
After the installation, Khadiza's traditional responsibilities shifted towards safe
water preservation, quality maintenance and ensuring proper use in her day-to-day
activities. She is now more aware of rainwater recycling method, its preservation as
well as checking its misuse. Khodeza free time makes many of these productive works
possible. Now as one of the one-third members of Village Development Committee VDC,
she carries water responsibilities with more efficiency.
Khodeza came to know about the RWHS after her husband attended a community
meeting and become member of VDC, both the outcome of the NGO Forum's community
managed programme, started in Kalabaria in 2000. The baseline survey of the apex
body found the village, situated at the foothill of Chandranath hill of Sitakunda upazilaof Chittagong district, with a poor safe water supply and sanitation, the major social
indicators of human development. Water-borne diseases were very common in that area.
Bangladesh, with a 114 million population, is threatened in generally unsafe drinking
water supply after the widespread detection of arsenic contamination. Arsenic causes a
severe health hazard and slowing the ongoing development work in the WatSan sector.
On the contrary, government revised the national policy for safe water supply andsanitation reviewing this trend and the nature of problems in the sector several times.
The country observes the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade
the government of Bangladesh as well as more than 50 NGOs are involvement inWatSan sector.
After two years programme, the NGO Forum finds hundred percent success inensuring safe water supply and sanitation which is the result of participatory method ofits community-managed programme. The Forum with the help of two other NGOs -Society for Health Extension and Development, SHED and Young Power in Social
Action YPSA -- enrich their programmes through motivational initiative like involving
VDC, community members, professionals, local governments, religious leaders as well
as youths.
In the VCD, one-third women participation also helps water management and its
distribution become more manageable. During different community meetings, they
identify the problem of water as well as disseminate the innovative approaches inrainwater harvest, preservation and multiple uses among other members. After
two-years, NGO Forum finds also success in areas like health, good governance andmicro-credit programmes.
The NGO Forum claims that for the association of local potential persons like unionparisad chairman, local government bodies as well as local young clubs have brought
big success for the programme. They constantly watch the quality of rainwater, identify
the water problems and try to find solutions within their capacity. Women also played
their due roles during courtyard meetings, organized in each and every para which
helped them in manage the safe water and control the water-borne sufferings. .
Samia Begum, a VDC member, says, initially it was thought that thecommunity-managed WatSan programme would be a programme of NGO Forum and its
partners but after participation in few meetings, she finds that the programme is more
for the villagers. She like many other villagers now feel the ownership of theprogramme and receive the benefits of safe water supply.