Nourishment & Safe Water for Coastal Communities

SUMMARY

CharLata is a remote coastal island in the Meghna River basin, accessible mainly by boat, situated in Rangabali Upazila of Patuakhali District, Bangladesh. Neighbouring the Bay of Bengal, the island community faces extreme climate vulnerability, including river erosion, cyclone exposure, salinity intrusion, and environmental pollution from nearby coal-based power generation.

During the 30 days of Ramadan, OBHIZATRIK Foundation provided nutritious daily community meals to more than 5,000 vulnerable coastal residents and initiated the installation of safe drinking water tubewells across the island. This initiative ensures dignity, improved health, and greater resilience during the holy month and beyond.

CHALLENGE

CharLata Island faces a convergence of environmental and humanitarian challenges that severely affect the daily lives of its residents:

• River erosion, cyclones, and salinity intrusion regularly damage crops and contaminate both soil and freshwater sources.
• Pollution from nearby coal-based power generation affects air quality and contributes to ongoing health risks within the community.
• During Ramadan and the summer season, food insecurity intensifies, making it difficult for families to access adequate nutrition while fasting.
• The absence of safe drinking water infrastructure forces many women to travel long distances on foot or by boat to fetch water — an especially harsh burden during the fasting period.
• The high salinity of the ground in coastal areas makes tubewell installation technically complex and significantly more expensive than in inland regions.

These overlapping challenges place the island community among the most climate-vulnerable populations in Bangladesh, with women, children, and elderly residents bearing the greatest hardship.

SOLUTION

OBHIZATRIK Foundation responded with a two-pronged community-centred approach: Ramadan meal distribution and safe water infrastructure installation.

1. Ramadan Meal Programme

Throughout the full 30 days of Ramadan, OBHIZATRIK distributed nutritious daily meals to the residents of CharLata Island. Meals were prepared and distributed locally, ensuring fair and equitable access for all community members. A key feature of this initiative was the meaningful participation of CharLata's own youth volunteers, who actively engaged in the community kitchen programme, preparing meals, coordinating distribution, and building a spirit of local ownership and solidarity.

These youth volunteers also received training in water management and disaster risk reduction, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills relevant to life on a climate-exposed coastal island. This training component strengthens the community's long-term capacity to respond to environmental shocks.

2. Safe Drinking Water — Tubewell Installation

Due to the high salinity of coastal soil, tubewell installation in CharLata is technically challenging and considerably more costly than in non-coastal areas. Given these constraints, OBHIZATRIK Foundation strategically prioritised the installation of the first saline-resistant tubewell in an initial high-need location. This first tubewell now directly benefits one community cluster of 15 to 20 families, providing them with reliable access to safe drinking water.

OBHIZATRIK has also begun the site identification and planning process for additional tubewell installations across the island, including location selection and feasibility assessments. With continued support from GlobalGiving donors and well-wishers, further installations are planned in the near term, working steadily toward the overall goal of 12 saline-resistant tubewells across CharLata Island.

LONG-TERM IMPACT

This initiative is generating both immediate relief and lasting change for the CharLata community. The combined impact of the Ramadan meal programme and water infrastructure investment includes:

• Improved nutrition and food security: Daily meals during Ramadan alleviated hunger and food insecurity for over 5,000 vulnerable residents during the holy month.
• Reduced waterborne disease: The first installed tubewell provides safe drinking water to 15–20 families, reducing health risks caused by saline or contaminated water sources.
• Reduced burden on women: Safe water access closer to home reduces the time and physical hardship women face in collecting water, particularly during fasting.
• Youth empowerment and local capacity: Volunteer participation in the kitchen programme and disaster risk training builds a generation of locally skilled, community-minded leaders.
• Climate resilience: Water infrastructure and community food systems strengthen the island's capacity to withstand climate-related shocks, floods, and cyclones.
• Path to full water coverage: With site identification underway and donor support growing, the foundation is on track toward the target of 12 tubewells, ensuring sustainable water access for the entire island.

By establishing durable water infrastructure and community-based food support, OBHIZATRIK Foundation is contributing to sustainable living conditions in one of Bangladesh's most climate-vulnerable coastal regions.