WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

SAFE DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE

The deprived communities with which Pragya works commonly have no access to piped water for drinking, and very few households have toilet facilities. Large sections of the rural poor are dependent on streams & springs for drinking water & domestic use; drought and climate change has resulted in severe water scarcity and hardship for them. Open defecation is still practised, since majority of those at the bottom of the pyramid lack access to proper sanitation. A high incidence of water-borne and communicable diseasesresult, and children are the most vulnerable to these. Women and girls have to suffer drudgery of collecting water from sources beyond their household premises. Schools without toilets are commonplace, adversely impacting girls’ school attendance rates and so their level of educational attainment and prospects for the future. These issues are exacerbated for last mile and neglected populations with inadequate access to healthcare facilities and poor knowledge of basic hygiene practices, and are of urgent concern in post-disaster settings where outbreaks of water-borne diseases can reach epidemic proportions, with few resources are available for such communities to help themselves and address critical needs.

WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

SAFE DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE

Pragya adopts a comprehensive approach to water and sanitation security for communities that lack these basic amenities, encompassing safe and adequate drinking water, appropriate sanitation facilities, and hygiene education. We work towards sustainable access to water for rural communities. We help with the revitalisation and protection of natural springs that are used for drinking water in mountain regions. In rural communities and schools, covered water storage tanks and filtration systems are installed to ensure safe drinking water.

Pragya constructs toilets for shared use for communities resorting to open defecation; in this we always ensure the construction of blocks of two toilets, with one each for male and female users, and encourage eco-sanitation techniques. We also promote sanitation and hygiene in schools, and build school toilets to improve children’s sanitation facilities and simultaneously boost girls’ school attendance rates. Complementing these material inputs, we encourage long term positive behavioural change through training on personal and household hygiene, accompanied by waste cleaning drives by community youth.

To help ensure the sustainability of these measures, Pragya emphasizes the empowerment of communities for their own water and sanitation management. We establish Water and Sanitation Committees for local, grassroots management of WASH resources. Media campaigns are conducted on hygiene and safe water and our training programs for local masons build their skills in various water and sanitation technologies.

WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

SAFE DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE

GEOGRAPHY / LOCATION

Our programme on Safe Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene is being/ has been implemented in Dolpa, Humla districts in Mid-Western Development Region, Mustang district in Western Development Region, Dhading, Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot districts in the Central Development Region.

WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

HEALTH AND NUTRITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Poor health status of communities in rural Nepal follows from a combination of factors, including a severe shortage of quality medical facilities and qualified staff, poor access to those medical facilities that are available due to long distances or challenging terrain, and little understanding amongst communities of preventive health. Many of the communities with which Pragya works are also afflicted by high levels of malnutrition and hunger, with women and children most at risk. Large numbers of children suffer from poor physical and mental development, as a consequence of inadequate and poor quality of diet. Worse, this begins in utero, as a consequence of malnourishment in pregnant women. Hunger and malnutrition shows spikes following seasonal food deficiencies and the frequent natural disasters and the livelihood losses and food shortages that result.

WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

HEALTH AND NUTRITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Pragya’s Health & Nutrition programme in Nepal prioritises working with women’s groups in poor, underserved communities, with a focus on reducing health issues and malnutrition among women and children. We develop women’s peer support groupsin villages to ensure near-at-hand health support for the group members. We educate these groups in household food budgeting and family diet and nutrition, and train them on monitoring the growth and development of their children. Our Education Resource Centres are also equipped with databases and resources for local health service providers, teachers and mothers, to enable continuing health education and information.

Women’s Self Help Groups are trained on nutrient-dense farmingmethods and supported to cultivate nutritive vegetable crops in kitchen-gardens and poly-houses in order to counter their specific nutritional deficiencies. We also support local schools to develop vegetable gardens, engaging the children and instilling in them values around diet, health and nutrition.

For communities that are particularly affected by health emergencies, such as in the aftermath of natural disasters, and lack access to health facilities, we deliver temporary pop-up health clinicsin collaboration with local health departments. Pragya also conducts regular preventive healthcare education in communities and schools, and fosters household as well as environmental hygiene.

WATER, SANITATION AND HEALTH

HEALTH AND NUTRITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

GEOGRAPHY / LOCATION

Our programme on health and nutrition is being/ has been implemented in Dolpa, Humla districts in Mid-Western Development Region, Mustang district in Western Development Region, Dhading, Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot districts in the Central Development Region.