Scopes for improvement:
- SDS working strategy isto develop partnerships with Local, National and international level organizations. Through implementing the WATSAN project we learnt that active collaboration and partnerships with village WATSAN Committee (VWC) and local Volunteers is a successful approach. But to increase their involvement in all phase of program, a lump sum budget needs to be allocated for their remuneration and for providing snacks in different meetings.
- To increase the community awareness, WATSAN organizes courtyard meetings, orientation courses for the religious leaders; these are important means for disseminating messages among the mass people. But only Courtyard session is not enough to aware people on water sanitation and hygiene practice in the community.
- Entrepreneurship Development:By working with local community we learnt that, if we help develop entrepreneurship among local masons, they will be available of supply the sanitary latrine equipmentat low costs and will also carry materials to the residences. With the guidance of SDS, each mason can demonstrate a model sanitary latrine that will encourage others to order it from locals.
- When deep tube wells are installed too further away. For example if tube wells are 1000-1500 feet away, some low cost shallow water tube wells could be used to meet the local water crisis, especially in the newly formed “Chor” areas where the arsenic level are within an acceptable range. People can use the shallow water wells for household purposes and collect potable water from a deep tube-well placed further for the time being.
- Follow up trainings are required for child birth caregivers rather than a single week long training session. This will help the caregivers to stay put even more and they will be more comfortable applying the learned techniques in real life.
- Introducing septic tanks with water-sealed sanitary latrines might increase the cost a little but will help prevent the unhygienic practice of digging hole and releasing waste to open sources. Installing more ring slabs and providing excavation service could also solve this problem. The collected waste can either be land filled or could be used as compost.