WaterAid India

Through the Urban WASH Programme, Water Aid India seeks to build community institutions like ‘Basti Vikas Manch’, ‘Mohalla Samiti’ and ‘Nari Nirmal Awas Samiti’, which in turn help to build decent toilets and clean water systems also in equal measure, engaging with the local municipality, as a technical partner, to establish faecal sludge management.

The organisation promotes change in traditional mindsets and behaviour through its Rural Sanitation Programme. It makes sure that human waste is managed safely through appropriate transportation, treatment and safe disposal with an aim to create open defecation free communities. It strives to include the needs of children, women and the elderly and sets out to develop sustainable and simple solutions for them.

It conducts research, implements programmes and advises a change in policy with a focus on health. It collaborates and encourages integration between sectors and ministries to jointly work to promote WASH, health, education and nutrition. It believes that understanding the importance of clean water, good hygiene and decent toilets can trigger relevant investment in public infrastructure and law-making.

Considering that schools are the first places to inculcate and promote good habits, the organisation encourages good health and educational outcomes in schools. It provides its input towards school development plans and ensures that WASH(Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is given its due place in the scheme. It works to create child-friendly and inclusive facilities for children, besides setting up WASH clubs in schools. It also engages with the Department of Education to build up its capacity, promote hygiene and include WASH indicators in its way of working.

The Water Purification Project under this programme aims to encourage communities to implement and manage water security plans. It builds water quality models at the community level, sets-up bodies such as ‘Jal Chaupal’ to bring the community together to seek collective solutions, through combined action seeks to strengthen community institutions such as healthcare centres, Anganwadi’s and schools and engages with Government agencies to support them in implementation of welfare schemes.