Ghuridah a model for achieving target

Like other parts of rural Bangladesh, the people of Ghuridah Union once resorted to using unhygienic water for all aspects of life, including washing, drinking and cooking. Such practices were responsible for spreading endemic diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery and hookworm.

Now, the people of the union have become aware of basic personal hygiene, thanks to three NGOs -- Gram Unnayan Parishad (GUP), Unnayan Shahojogy Team (UST) and Udayan Swabolombi Sangstha (USS). They now wash their hands with soaps after using toilets. The poor use ashes or earth as alternative to soaps.

"Earlier, we left excreta in open spaces, which posed various health hazards. Now we dump those under earth," says Hafizur Rahman, a van driver of village Jhara Barsha. "Although we knew that open defecation was a unhygienic practice, we did not care."

Sudhanya Chandra Das and Niranjan Chandra Das of Daspara expressed the same views. They said that they now can work for more time as diseases have reduced following the improvement of sanitation situation.

Kajoli, 9, was not used to wearing slippers and even she was not aware of the importance of washing hands after using toilets.

The girl is now aware of personal hygiene as she has learnt about cleanliness from her school where the NGO workers with the support from the local government division conduct awareness campaign.

She said, "I wash my hands with soap before eating foods and, of course, after using toilet." "Sometimes, I use ashes and earth as my parents can't always afford soap."

Earlier, only the well-off families can afford sanitary latrines but now every family has access to sanitary facilities, said Sarala Bala, 60, of Daspara.

Mosammat Nazma Begum, president of Ghuridah Union Gram Unnayan Parishad, said "We undertook the awareness programme in the union to achieve the target of 100 percent sanitation for all by 2010."

"First, we briefed the village heads about the advantages and disadvantages of the sanitation, she said. Later, we included UST activists, UP members and members of Ansar, VDP and police in our campaign to motivate the people about sanitation," she said.

"We also faced many problems during our campaign."

Shaghata upazila nirbahi officer and local union parishad chairman also extended their cooperation in this regard, she added.

Md Nizam Uddin, project manager of Unnayan Shahojugi Team (UST), said "We started sanitation activities at the villages of Jhara Barsha and Chinir Patal in October 2003 under the project titled 'Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health Programme (ASEH)' in cooperation with the Water Aid."

"Actually, we began our activities at Ghuridah Union in 1988 under a coordinated programme, including Rural Health Development," he added.

"We are implementing the ASEH through an organisation of disadvantaged women, popularly known as Gram Unnayan Parishad led by Mosammat Nazma Begum," he told journalists at a briefing at the Samaj Kalyan Sangstha (SKS) conference room at Shaghata on September 23.

Nizam said, "The main objective of the programme was to empower the women, alleviate poverty and bring changes to the attitude regarding safe water and sanitation."

UST Chairman Hamidul Huq, Azhar Ali of Water Aid and Shah Md Anwar Kamal also spoke at the briefing.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Selima Rahman formally declared the Ghuridah Union as '100 percent sanitised union' on July 5.

Begum Rawshan Ershad, local lawmaker from the Jatiya Party, said everything is possible if people involve themselves in any activities.