Background and Objectives

Background

The Goal of the project is to ‘improve the health of families in the Delta by providing access to safe water and sanitation facilities, while raising awareness of hygiene and health related issues’. A guiding principal is to Build Back Better and not to simply return people to Pre-Nargis standards. The project aim is to ensure that access to water, sanitation and awareness of health and hygiene related issues are all enhanced as a result of this project. The post Nargis Recovery and Reconstruction Plan (PONREPP) – December 2008 – clearly identifies the need for a three year reconstruction programme. This project is designed to support PONREPP’s objective.

 Objectives

-Improve water supply and sanitation services to 250 villages;
-Raise awareness of health and hygiene (H&H) practices in order to change existing practises;
-Collaborate with other agencies and donors for maximum impact and positive change in villages;
-Empower communities to take control of reconstruction in their villages;
-Empower women to adopt leadership roles in the community.

 Activities

-Construction, repair and upgrading of village level communal water and sanitation systems including repair and reconstruction of 250 village ponds, and Communal Rain Water Collection Tanks to 250 villages; renovation of 300 wells;
-Construction of new water and sanitation facilities to 38 priority schools. Build Rain Water Collection Tanks at 143 schools (in addition to 38 in the priority schools);
-Construction and repair of rainwater collection and sanitation facilities for 1,500 vulnerable households;
-Hygiene promotion and Health Education training at community and school level;
-Training of artisans and communities in construction techniques relating to sanitation and maintenance of sanitation systems, water testing and surveillance.

Results

• Community mobilization has allowed target villages to contemplate and come to terms with their situation and to organize and initiate action for the development of their communities with their own initiative and creativity
• Substantial training and capacity building was conducted for women in the process of empowering and enhancing their skills and knowledge, and this has facilitated their involvement in different activities of the project in the field
• Local communities were empowered. They are more aware, organized, and informed having substantial experience and exposure of local development problems, prospects and challenges
• Actual number of villages covered (263) exceeded number of villages planned (250); actual outputs achieved exceeded outputs planned
• Out of 2,417 VRCs members 1,016 (43%) were women. Of these women, 41% occupied VRC management positions
• 263 Village Recovery Committees nominated by the community were formed in 263 selected villages in all five townships
• 263 Community Action Plans (CAPs), which facilitated identification and prioritization of community water supply and sanitation infrastructure related project activities were developed
• 1,545 Community Contracts (water and sanitation) were implemented
• As a result of strong and effective community mobilization, a greater cohesiveness and social harmony was found among community
• VRCs became an effective platform to resolve local conflicts and reach consensus on any project related issue. The growing trend of consensus building among local communities simply improved the decision making process at the village level and as a result many landmark results were achieved on the ground
• Local communities were found more aware and organized and hence ready to share the responsibility and play their part of role in local development
• Improved living condition with the provision of selected water supply and sanitation infrastructure in target villages
• Greater level of accountability and transparency in local communities and therefore VRCs based water supply and sanitation infrastructure produced extra outputs
• Women were found actively taking part in all different types of VRC initiated activities due to extensive empowerment
• Sustainability in project as a result of greater feeling of ownership by communities since they were fully involved with the project implementation

Development Partners/ Partners

Development Partners: Government of JapanPartners: Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Ministry of Construction, Shelter Cluster Partners