Better WASH for Healthy Nepal

Namaste, and Seasonal Greetings to all our donors, well-wishers and supporters from ECCA, Nepal. In the past months from October to December 11, we had been able to accomplish following activities;

• Expansion of Safe water campaign in more district of Nepal

From December onwards, we are implementing Safe Drinking Water Program in 3 schools of Kavre, in coordination with an German Nepalese Help Association (GNHA).

• Door to Door Campaign

In most of the slum areas, people are using chlorinated water distributed from community water distribution systems. But there are many households who are not using water from the community water distribution system. Hence, targeting those households, a series of door to door campaign was organized in the month of November in different slum areas so as to aware the households regarding the need and importance of using chlorinated water.

• Training on the use of Chlorinator

A training program on the use of chlorinator was conducted on 5^th December 2011 at Binayak Bal Lower Secondary School, Badal Goan Kavre in coordination with GNHA. Altogether 26 participants from different schools participated in the training program. The program included a brief presentation on the water purification methods. It included various data related to water borne diseases in the context of world and in Nepal, the reasons behind different water borne diseases, the need of water purification and the utility of WATASOL for water purification as well as sanitation etc.

• Handover of the responsibility of social promotion to the schools

For the sustainability and continuity of the programs at the community level for the long run, efficient and effective transfer of information is essential. Hence, after the proper inspection and guidance of all the necessary criteria for handover, ECCA handed over the responsibility of social promotion and distribution of the WATASOL in the community to the schools. However, ECCA will provide the support services that would be required for the schools in social promotion.

• 2nd Inter School Drama Competition

With an objective to make aware communities about safe drinking water and sanitation, different water purification methods and to prevent the communities from water borne disease, ECCA organized 2nd Inter School Street Drama Competition on Nov-Dec 2011 in coordination with 10 different schools. A total of 50 street dramas were performed in different 10 communities within Kathmandu valley by the students of 50 schools. The grand finale of the competition is schedule on 20^th January 2012 among the winner schools from different 10 communities. And the top three performers at the grand finale program will be awarded with the cash prize.

• WATASOL stall in Street Drama Competition

Nature Club students of street Drama co-organizer schools had placed WATASOL stall in the community where the drama was performed and distributed WATASOL to the community people.

• Follow up in the schools and entrepreneurs

Regular monitoring and follow up visits were done in all the schools and communities where Mini WATA and Standard WATA device have been provided. During such visits, quality of WATASOL and drinking water is checked and possible programs for the promotion of WATASOL is discussed with concerned persons.

• Published articles in Newsletter 

Articles related to the WATASOL and 2^nd Inter School Drama competition was published in December issue of Ecokhabar (Quarterly Newsletter of ECCA).

• Installation of information boards at different sales outlet at Bungamati Lalitpur

To disseminate information about the availability of WATASOL, information boards were installed in different sales outlet situated at Bungamati, Lalitpur.

With the above notes, I would like to express my gratitude towards all our donors and supporters for the program as well as the GlobalGiving team for your continuous backup. We anticipate for the same kind of cooperation and support in the days coming ahead as well as seek your suggestion and guidance for the productive outcome regarding the program in future. I also hope for your small response about your feeling so as to encourage us. You could also drop in your response at ecca@mos.com.np.

The following activities were conducted during July – Sept 2011

Orientation Program

To inform people about the technology and to make them aware, several orientation programs were conducted for the teachers, students, community and different community groups. The orientations given are:

• Geeta Mata Higher Sec. School (July 19, 2011)
• Little Flowers Public School (August 4 & 9, 2011)
• Community at Farsidole, Bungamati, Laitpur (Sept 3, 2011)
• Slum area at Bansighat, Tripureswor (Sept 9, 2011)

Documentary Show

Documentary show has become popular in school and community. The major focus of the documentary show is to promote safe drinking water and chlorine solution, branded as “WATASOL”. From the documentary, students get information about easy methods to purify water at the local level. The Documentary is on water related issues, water borne diseases and how to disinfect. After the success of the program in the school, the nature club students also replicated the program in the community, neighboring schools and local groups. List of documentary shows:

• Shree Krishna Higher Secondary School (July 1, 2011)
• Harisiddhi Higher Secondary School (For Students & teachers) (July 2, 2011)
• Lalit Kalyan Lower Secondary School (July 7, 2011)
• Thaiba Youth Club (July 9, 2011)
• Yashodhara Bauddha Secondary School (July 18, 2011)
• Bhagyodaya Higher Secondary School (July 26, 2011)
• Dhapakhel Boarding School (July 27, 2011)
• BalKumari Higher Secondary School (July 29, 2011)
• Udaya Kharka Secondary School (Sept 16, 2011)

Door to Door Campaign

To reach out the new community for WATASOL promotion and refilling program in previously implemented areas, Door to Door Campaign has been organized frequently. Door to door campaign was focused in rural place of Lalitpur areas and slum areas of Kathmandu valley. Groups of students along with ECCA volunteers and WATA Resource Materials went to each household in the community and sensitized people about the need of Safe Drinking Water and role of WATASOL for healthy living. Beside the regular refilling program, the door to door Campaigns conducted in different new community were:

• Hadegoan, lalitpur                                                                July 2, 2011
• Slum area of Thapathali, Lalitpur                                         Sept 16, 2011

National Essay Competition

Since the past 4 years ECCA is organizing National Essay Competition in different topics. This year also, on the occasion of World Environment Day 2011, ECCA announced Essay Competition for secondary level students on the theme “How can we recharge the ground water and make our drinking water safe" The notice related with call for essay competition was published in a national daily Nepali language newspaper Kantipur (June 5, 2011). The students were encouraged to write an essay on the basis of real situation of their own school environment and put their perspective regarding the theme. The competition was open for all the Nepali students studying in grade 6 to 10. The best three essays were announced on July 12 and prizes given on July 23, 2011.

Winner list:

1. Samrat Bikram Prasai, Occidental Public School, Anamnagar, Kathmandu
2. Aashma Khanal, Lalit Kalyan Lower Secondary School, Bholdhoka, Lalitpur
3. Riva Khatiwada, Occidental Public School, Anamnagar, Kathmandu

Scholarship Distribution

During the implementation of the WATASOL program in the schools, some of the students from Nature Club were very actively involved and also showed keen interest. So as to encourage them, scholarship materials (a set of note book, bag, copies, pen, pencil and other education materials) were provided. 70 students were provided the scholarship materials. The students were selected on the basis of their involvement in the WATASOL promotional activities and as per the financial need of the student. Selection was done by the nature club themselves in coordination with principal, guide teacher and ECCA social mobilizers.

Scholarship materials were provided to the students of the following schools:

• Harisiddhi Higher Secondary School                                               July 9, 2011
• Shree Krishna Higher Secondary School                                       July 15, 2011
• Saraswoti Higher Secondary School                                             July 15, 2011
• Balkumari Higher Secondary School                                             July 15, 2011
• Tri Ratna Cooperative School                                                        July 15, 2011
• Yashodhara Bauddha Secondary School                                       July 15, 2011
• Mahendra Gram Secondary School                                               July 15, 2011
• Bhagyodaya Higher Secondary School                                           July 7, 2011
• Udaya Kharka Secondary School                                                  Sept 16, 2011

Appreciation Distribution

For supporting the Safe Drinking Water program at the local level, seven individuals were provided Appreciation certificate.

• Nirmala Shakya, Prabhat Higher Sec. School
• Rajesh Pandey, Lalit Kalyan Lower Sec. School
• Ramesh Shrestha, Lalit Kalyan Lower Sec. School
• Dhurba  Pd. Amatya, Yashodhara Bouddha Sec. School
• Hem Chandra Raigai , Yashodhara Bouddha Sec. School
• Krishna Pd Acharya, Udaya Kharka Sec. School
• Krishna Man Maharjan, Tri-ratna Cooperative School

Promotion through local Health Post

In Southern Lalitpur region, linkage was developed with local health post and local women health volunteers. In the beginning, these volunteers were briefed about safe drinking water and WATASOL. Thereafter, while they were visiting households as part of their regular work, they also promoted WATASOL, supported in the refill and monitored its usage. Women health volunteers conducted 9 orientations (one in each ward) on WATASOL to the local mothers’ group and encouraged them to use WATASOL. For about a month, initially, WATASOL was distributed free of cost (to develop the habit). Later, it was sold.

Interaction among different stakeholders

To review the status of WATASOL distribution and promotion strategy, separate interaction was conducted in Dalchowki and in Chaughare (Southern Lalitpur). Participants were from the school teachers, nature club members, school management committee, women health workers and other health post staffs.

Promotion in Private Schools

Orientations and interactions have been done to create awareness  in private schools, and Community Drinking Water System (CDWS). The staffs of these institutions have always been supportive in this kind of promotional programs. Through these programs, WATASOL distribution has been possible in the scattered community.

WATASOL stall in different occasions

Students of Tri-ratna Cooperative school are distributing WATASOL from the stall kept in the religious place (Karyabinak Temple) every Saturday. Likewise, ECCA as well as schools are also distributing WATASOL frequently through stalls kept at different occasions and report card distribution.

WATASOL stall kept during report card distribution and other occasions:

• Bal Binod Secondary School, Natole
• Machindra Bahal, Bungamati
• Khokana Mohatsav, Khokana
• Omkuli Mahatsav, Thaina
• Sal Nadi Mela, Sankhu
• Eco festival of British School, Jamsikhel           
• Lachhi, Thecho
• Lagankhel, Lalitpur
• Harisiddhi, Lalitpur
• Flea Market at ECCA
• ECCA Day                      
• National Children Day              

Promotion in Adult Literacy Class

To promote WATASOL, the students of Adult Literacy Class were also given orientation about safe drinking water and WATASOL. The students purchased WATASOL and used it.

Chlorinated water distribution through Water Tank

The slum communities have large size public drinking water tank which is managed by their resource person. An entrepreneur visits them and supplies WATASOL. They put WATASOL in the water tank, thereafter treated water is distributed to the slum dwellers.

Promotion at water distributor

In case of Yashodhara Bouddha Secondary School, one of the staff Mr. Dhurba Prasad Amatya promoted WATASOL in Gangajal water distributor – which is a mineral water producing company. After few interaction and follow up they agreed to use WATASOL for disinfecting the equipments. Now the school is selling WATASOL to them.

Sales from individual nature club students

In some schools, some students need to come from far-away places. So the normal promotional activities could not reach such locality. In such case, individual students of that far-away community promote WATASOL in their respective area, for which they get 30% of the WATASOL sales. They are thus helping to promote WATASOL as well as getting certain incentive, which motivates them for further promotion in their area.

Monitoring visits

Regular monitoring is being done in all the localities where Mini WATA and Standard WATA device have been provided. During such visits quality of WATASOL and drinking water is checked and possible programs for the promotion of WATASOL is discussed with concerned persons.

Interschool Competition

Harisiddhi Nature Club of Harisiddhi Higher Secondary School organized an Interschool Competition in different heading such as Essay competition (6th July, 2011), Art Competition (7^th July 2011) and Debate Competition ( 8^th July, 2011). On the last day of the program (9^th July), prizes and certificates were distributed for the winners. The main objective of the program was to create awareness about the Safe Drinking Water and WATASOL among the students from different schools.

Production of A Short Documentary

A short documentary on water borne disease and WATASOL was recently produced by ECCA.

Implementation of Project in 3 more schools of Illam

In coordination with a NGO Namsaling Community Development Center (NCDC), Illam ECCA transferred the technology to 3 more schools at Illam.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all donors for your continuous support in our initiation. We would also like to request you to send us your feedback, comments and suggestion regarding our project at ecca@mos.com.np so that we could implement our programs more effectively.

Regards,

Links:

• Newsletter