"Empowering Communities, Transforming Health: Together for a Clean and Safe Future"
The women, girls, and youth are playing a vital role in achieving the milestone of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and Water Safe Community (WSC) status in the communities, including hygiene practices, within the 19 unions under the 5 districts of Rajshahi divisions. The GoB-UNICEF ASWA-II project staff showcased these achievements through interactive presentations in the ‘All Staff Learning and Reflection Workshop’ held on 28-29 December 2021 at Nandigram Bogura A.N.M Kaiser Zillany, Team Leader of ASWA-II project, inaugurated the meeting. Project Managers and Technical Coordinators facilitated the following sessions. A total of 37 ASWA-II project staff participated in the event and identified significant best practices and qualitative behavioral changes among the project participants. The learnings are listed below –
Serene Soul participated in a project in Bogura, powered by TMSS NGO, which focused on hygiene practices, Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, and Water Safe Community (WSC) status. This initiative was highly focused on empowering women, girls, and youth. The following achievements were identified:
- Community People/Households are giving importance and taking responsibility for the operation and maintenance of their basic latrines and water options.
- Investing to set up climate-resilient toilets to stay protected from cyclones and flash floods.
- Installing Disabled-Friendly Toilets for their physically disabled family members.
- Following Safe Water Handling Processes during the collection of drinking water.
- Frequently Washing Hands and maintaining health-hygiene.
- Local Sanitation Entrepreneurs are selling latrine materials to the community people on an installment basis.
- Menstrual Hygiene Management Activities in schools have resulted in leadership development among the girl students to break traditional taboos and myths. For example, they are using hygienic sanitary napkins during menstruation and talking to their parents about this issue.
Serene Soul was rewarded with 20,000 BDT for their participation and contribution to the success of the project in Bogura.
