PRAVAH-quarterly newsletter of Water For People India-October to December 2024

Launch of the Dastak Dal Campaign-

A community-driven campaign to empower local influencers, known as the Dastak Dal, was launched in partnership with Gram Vaani in Bhojpur to raise awareness, address misconceptions, and promote sustainable WASH practices through direct counseling and technology-driven communication. This is expected to enhance citizen demand for better water and sanitation services under the Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal initiative.

Digital Training Revolutionizes Rural Water Management in Bihar-

In collaboration with ECHO India and the Bhojpur district administration, we conducted virtual trainings for pump operators in Sandesh Block. This initiative aims to enhance skills for managing safe and reliable Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS) in Bihar. Virtual monthly meetings have also been regularly conducted through the iECHO platform in the Sheohar district.

Fecal Sludge Treatment Solution Driving Circular Economy –

The Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) in Muzaffarpur, established by TBF Environmental Solutions with Water For People’s support, is transforming sanitation into sustainable livelihoods. Producing over a ton of vermicompost monthly and 1,000 liters of vermi-wash weekly, the plant has linked with Farmer Producer Organizations, boosting sales and generating income for the plant operators. With plans to expand packaging and distribution, it has the potential to scale this impactful model for improving sanitation and agriculture simultaneously.

Building on our work with the FSTP, the Lohiya Swachchh Bihar Abhiyan (LSBA) invited Water For People to join the committee responsible for finalizing Bihar’s Fecal Sludge Management (FSM) Policy and requested technical support for the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign on village cleanliness.

Empowering local leaders in MHM

Inaugurated by the District Project Officer, DPM WCDC, we conducted a Menstrual Health Management (MHM) workshop for Jeevika Didis in Nalanda. This initiative aimed to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene, break stigma around menstruation, educate participants on adopting healthy and sustainable practices, and lay emphasis on the role of local leadership in driving positive change.

Dissemination of IEC Kits among District Administrations

Upon invitation from the Government of Bihar, Water For People India had designed and developed an IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) kit to promote the sustainability of the piped water scheme under the Panchayati Raj Department (PRD) and the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). We have started distributing these kits through district administrations to raise awareness and drive behavior change in water, sanitation, hygiene, and water resource management (WRM). The kits include animation films, wall paintings, leaflets, and slogans designed to encourage safe practices and foster a healthier environment.

Empowering Communities through Innovative Watershed Management and Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Pune

Water For People has been developing a watershed using the Ridge to Valley approach in select villages of the Shirur block in Pune with the support of 3M India Ltd.  As part of the project, the capacities of the Water Management Committee members were built to interpret 3D groundwater models enabling them to make informed decisions on aquifer systems, recharge zones, and sustainable water resource management. Additionally, over 90 farmers from five villages visited Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV) Rahuri to gain insights into advanced farming methods, organic practices, and water efficient irrigation techniques, empowering them for sustainable agricultural growth.

The Kendur Gram Panchayat facilitated a visit of esteemed organizations like Swades Foundation, AFARM, Manav Lok, Eco Sattva and IIT Mumbai to our pilot project site and the work garnered praise, sparking discussions on its innovative approach and the value of community involvement in resource conservation projects.

Collaborative WASH Study for Advancing Sustainable Action Plans in Dharashiv

A joint WASH study by WOTR and Water For People was presented to the Additional CEO and officials of the Dharashiv Zilla Parishad. The study highlighted key recommendations and stressed the importance of collaboration with government stakeholders to develop a sustainable action plan for improved WASH outcomes.

Building Water-Conscious Communities in Chikhaldara

With the support of Atlas Copco, we are working to build conscious communities for water conservation and good governance practices for sustainability of drinking water in 30 villages of Chikhaldara block in Amravati. This quarter we carried out capacity-building training of water user committees for the operation and maintenance of water conservation structures that were built. Post-monsoon water quality testing, groundwater level monitoring, hygiene awareness through video screenings, wall paintings, and Promoted Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaigns were carried out across the villages.

WASH Animators Orientation Workshop in Amravati

A WASH Animators Orientation workshop, chaired by SBM Dy. CEO Mr. Kharkar, was organized as part of our Technical Support Unit (TSU) activities in Amravati with 20 Block Resource Coordinators. The meeting clarified workshop objectives and criteria for selecting SBCC animators/volunteers from 14 identified villages to develop them into WASH Model Villages.

Inaugurating West Bengal’s First Operational Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant

West Bengal’s first operational Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) was inaugurated on November 19, 2024, in Digambarpur, Patharpratima block, South 24 Parganas. This milestone in sustainable sanitation, a collaboration between Water For People India, Jadavpur University, and Digambarpur Gram Panchayat, was celebrated with dignitaries and community members. The plant, now fully operational, showcased its readiness through a successful sludge collection demonstration, marking significant progress in addressing regional sanitation challenges.

Transformation through WASH in schools

To celebrate a decade-long partnership between  Water For People India and ITC Social Investment Program, Mr. Girish Mohan, Operations Manager at ITC Limited, visited one of our intervention schools in Kolkata to review child friendly WASH infrastructure improvements, including gender-friendly toilets, handwashing stations, and Mid-Day Meal areas, and engaged with child cabinet members to discuss the program’s impact.

A collaboration between Kolkata Municipal Corporation, ITC Mission Sunehra Kal, and Water For People India Trust has enhanced the WASH infrastructure and empowered students to drive sustainable change, creating child-friendly learning environments and brighter futures. On World Toilet Day 2024, the renovated Michael Madhusudan KMCP School in Kolkata was inaugurated as a model school by Hon’ble Mayor Firhad Hakim.

Celebrating the innovations in water resource management with Oak

With support from the Oak Foundation, we have partnered with PRASARI and local communities to implement integrated water resource management in two blocks of the Sundarbans. In November, Mr Douglas Griffiths, President Oak Foundation, visited Kolkata to reflect on the successes, celebrate the legacy of the program and discuss the intentional phasing out of the program. The meeting also served as a space to recognize and honor the longstanding commitment and dedication of partners who have worked with Oak Foundation over the years.

Building capacities for managing sanitation across the state

A state-level workshop on sustaining SBM(G) 2.0 sanitation assets was held by Water For People India and the Panchayat and Rural Development department. The workshop trained officials from state, district, and Gram Panchayat levels, fostering collaboration across 23 districts to ensure the sustainability of rural sanitation infrastructure.

We have also been invited to contribute to the development of the Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) Policy in West Bengal, alongside partners like UNICEF, IIT Kharagpur, and WaterAid.

Exploring Climate resilience in Sunderbans

Team members of HCL Tech paid a visit to us in Sunderbans to see our work on climate-resilient WASH infrastructure, agriculture and Water Resource Management. We visited Sagar Island to assess the situation on the ground and met with block officials to understand gaps, if any.

Sanitation and Disaster Preparedness- building resilience during calamities

In addition to our efforts with community latrines, WASH entrepreneurs, and the Swachh Company app, we have collaborated with UNICEF to promote WASH behaviors and school safety programs in 100 schools across South 24 Parganas. This initiative focuses on enhancing disaster preparedness among students.

Understanding and assessing innovative groundwater recharge models in Sunderbans

In March 2023, an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) model was established at Bali-I Gram Panchayat, Gosaba, to improve groundwater recharge. In December, a two-day training session was held to assess the model using Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), a geophysical survey method. Participants, including members of self-help groups (SHGs), gained hands-on experience with VES principles, equipment operation, data collection, and analysis to identify areas suitable for groundwater recharge.

Promoting Sanitation and Hygiene with World Toilet Day celebrations in Kamrup

This World Toilet Day, themed “Toilets: A Place for Peace,” we, with support from ITC, organized activities in select schools of Kamrup, to encourage toilet use, water hygiene, and sanitation among students. The event featured training sessions, discussions on keeping toilets clean, and a drawing competition. Together, we’re advancing the goal of improved sanitation for everyone.

Gender responsive WASH to empower tea estate workers

We have collaborated with Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) to implement a gender-responsive WASH program in three tea estates of Golaghat and Sivasagar. An Inception Workshop brought together government officials, local institutions, and stakeholders to align on the project’s objectives and foster collaboration for successful implementation.

As part of the activities, Global Handwashing Day was celebrated at Behora Tea Estate with handwashing demonstrations led by Dr. Sonowal and cleaning activities at the state hospital involving 20 tea garden workers. The event was aligned with Swachh Bharat Mission and saw participation from estate workers, management, and healthcare staff.

In December we introduced the “Model Line Concept” in the Behora Tea estate to promote cleanliness int he workers’ colony. The event included a “Clean Society, Healthy Society” drive with 50+ participants and a street play promoting WASH awareness, covering menstrual hygiene, water system maintenance, sanitation, and open defecation prevention.

Launching Light House Initiatives Phase-II in Kamrup

A workshop to launch Phase-II of the Light House Initiatives under Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin 2.0 was held on October 1, 2024, at Rampur Development Block, Kamrup Rural District, with support from ITC. The event brought together representatives from Gram Panchayats, district and block officials, co-partners, and ITC representatives.

Fostering Hygiene and Sanitation by engaging with schools in Khordha

Supported by ITC’s Mission Sunehra Kal, we celebrated World Toilet Day at a government school with activities promoting sanitation awareness. The event featured drawing and a debate competition, a WASH Kiosk on hygiene practices, and prizes for winners.

As part of Global Handwashing Day celebrations, WASH awareness programs were conducted in five schools in Khordha, including a 60-day handwashing challenge, WASH kiosks, kitchen gardening, and cleanliness drives. By engaging students, parents, and teachers, these initiatives enhanced school environments and encouraged sustainable hygiene practices.

Advancing the Sanitation Business Initiative in Pakur

30 Points of Purchase (PoPs) have been identified for the sanitation business initiative in Pakur, with significant progress in raising awareness and engaging entrepreneurs. Six SHG-level meetings and two cluster-level meetings were held to educate women on sanitation business opportunities and encourage economic and community benefits. The next step will be to monitor the PoPs’ progress, address challenges, and evaluate the effectiveness of the training and implementation.

SBCC Workshop in Patna: Empowering Staff to Enhance Project Design

Water For People conducted a two-day SBCC Design Workshop in Patna to enhance staff skills in creating and implementing behavior change programs. The workshop explored the theoretical foundations of effective SBCC initiatives and emphasized transitioning from IEC to SBCC, focusing on active audience engagement. Expert facilitators provided insights into strategies and design principles.

Nationwide Workshop on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for Strategic Advancement

In November, a three-day Internal Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Workshop was conducted with program teams from across the country. The workshop aimed to enhance understanding of organizational processes, tools, and engagement strategies used in MEL. It emphasized monitoring practices and introduced a strategic shift from block-level to district-level implementation to achieve the “Everyone Forever” milestone. This approach aligns with the national strategy and supports the Destination 2030 goals.