South Asia Newsletter - June 2018
ASA-IBL Launches Water Purifier Loan Products in Tamil Nadu, India
On 4th May 2018, ASA-IBL formally launched the water purifier loan product in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Nearly 110 participants, including club children, female members, ASA-IBL staff, and local stakeholders were present for the launch. The water purifier product was launched after a recent study and analysis conducted by ASA found that water quality was a key issue facing the target community, although most of the village residents were not aware of the issue.
Through their partnership, Action for Social Advancement (ASA) has provided demand-generating, awareness activities, while IDFC Bharath Limited (IBL) disbursed the water loans to clients. In collaboration with Health Aqua Tech Pvt Ltd, ASA-IBL introduced the water purifiers to female borrowers. Water.org’s Mr. Manoj Gulati and Mr. Nayakam presented the first five loans, helping ensure affordable pricing and timely services to help families save money, reduce health-related expenses, and increase time towards income generation. The products range in price from INR 8,000 to 30,000/-.
To raise awareness of the water quality issues, the ASA team and Water.org’s Mr. Avudai Nayakam led live water testing demonstrations and exhibitions in the villages with a high instances of water contamination. Teams tested water with a 12-parameter standard, set by the Bureau of Indian Standard, from various water sources, including ground water, household water, and tank water. In addition to the water quality tests, the ASA team and Water.org’s Mr. Nayakam led nearly 90 participants through a water-health game “Walk for Water” to promote awareness of water quality and safety issues and the various purification methods that can help.
After piloting the water purifier loans in the Nellai region, ASA-IBL plans to expand to six other regions in the future, with a goal to disburse over 12,000 water purifier loans in the next year across Tamil Nadu.
For more information on ASA, please visit http://www.asaindia.org/
For more information on IBL, please visit http://www.idfcbharat.com/
Photos: (Top) Water.org’s Manoj Gulati presents a water filter to a borrower. (Bottom) Water.org’s Avudai Nayakam addresses the audience.
WAVE Foundation Observes World Water Day 2018 with District Administrations
On 27th March, WAVE Foundation observed World Water Day 2018 “Nature for Water” in the Bangladeshi districts of Chuadanga, Jessore, Kushtia and Rajshahi with district administrations. District residents participated in colorful rallies and the Executive Engineers of each district chaired meetings. As the rallies rounded the main roads of the district towns, the Executive Engineer of Department of Public Health (DPHE), civil surgeons, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), different local NGO directors, journalists, and local development activists discussed the use of surface water and the need to reduce pressure on underground water. They also urged the government to continue working towards ensuring safe water for all people, especially poor women and children. To that effect, WAVE Foundation’s Program Manager Shahed Jamal focused on WaterCredit program achievement and its contribution to achieve the SDG goals.
For more information on the WAVE Foundation, visit http://www.wavefoundationbd.org/
A Latrine Blocked Ritoo’s Path to Marriage
Rina and Razzak’s daughter oldest daughter Ritoo was overjoyed when she received a marriage proposal from a local man. They had set the wedding date and had begun the wedding preparations when suddenly her fiancé broke off the engagement. His reason? Ritoo’s family did not have a hygienic latrine in their home.
Ritoo was heartbroken and ashamed, not leaving her home because their neighbors had heard the news and began sneering at her and her family. With such a reputation, the family worried it would be difficult to find another suitor for Ritoo. When Ritoo’s grandmother heard what happened, she knew the family needed to take action to correct the issue. She advised Rina and Razzak to meet with the WAVE Foundation, which provides microloans for water and sanitation.
Rina and Razzak met with a WAVE Foundation branch manager with the hopes of financing a sanitary latrine, but the branch manager told them that their home was outside of the WAVE Foundation’s 9 kilometer working radius. However, the branch manager promised that he would speak with his supervisors to help get Rina and Razzak the sanitation solution they need.
Thanks to the branch manager’s dedication to the family, he was able to get approval to work outside of the WAVE Foundation’s normal working radius. He approved Rina and Razzak’s loan application and they began constructing a sanitary latrine at their residence. A few days after the latrine was installed, a man from a local village came by to meet with Ritoo and her family. He proposed marriage to her and they finally got married. Ritoo is grateful that her parents sought a solution for the only roadblock in Ritoo’s path to marriage.
For more information on the WAVE Foundation, visit http://www.wavefoundationbd.org/
Jahanara’s Sanitation Solution Provides Safety from Snakes
Jahanara lives in Maniknagar Village in Meherpur District in Bangladesh with her husband, son, and two daughters. Her family had a latrine, but it was far from their home and they would often see snakes in it. The children were always scared to use the latrine because of the snakes, and no one in the family dared to use the latrine at night, choosing instead to defecate openly.
Jahanara is a group member with the WAVE Foundation. One day, loan officer Any Akter discussed the importance of safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene and explained that the WAVE Foundation could provide a WaterCredit loan to make any improvements. Jahanara discussed the WaterCredit product with her husband and wondered if they could avail WaterCredit to install a sanitary latrine in their home. They quickly decided to apply for a loan to install a latrine attached to their home. They were approved, and soon began constructing the new latrine.
Today, her family is safe and happy. Her daughters especially voiced their happiness and gratitude for the increased hygiene, safety, and convenience of the attached latrine.
