Help enhance livelihood for the poor through sustainable agriculture

Entrapped in poverty, Bundelkhand region is one of the worst sufferers in terms of access to water, health and sanitation. Women and young girls bear the maximum brunt of lack of access to water and sanitation facilities. They are primarily responsible for the collection of water. Therefore, they suffer the majority of the drudgery and consequent health risks of collection from distant sources. They are also more likely to suffer health problems (such as Reproductive Tract Infections) and be put at risk from sexual violence (through increased vulnerability during open defecation), if sanitation hardware and hygiene behaviours are unsatisfactory.

Haritika aims to fill these gaps in service provision by providing water security to 10 of the poorer villages of Bijawar block of Madhya Pradesh. The activities we undertake include a range of options including: restoring existing hand pumps, building and extending pipe lines, protecting and constructing new tube wells, roof rainwater harvesting structures, and water sources for schools. We also promote hygiene promotion in these villages by creating the infrastructure for hand-washing at key times (after defecation, before eating or preparing food), safe disposal of human excreta, and storage and use of water in the house. We aim 6444 people to practise safe hygienic practices by the end of the project. Villages will be supported with construction of at least two compost pits and soak pits as demonstration models for communities to emulate. The local partners will be instrumental in assisting the communities to put these activities into practice.

Apart from substantially improving the living standards of the poor people, the project highlights the involvement of communities and disadvantaged groups, in development of their own water and sanitation situation which can give them a boost to tackle further development issues. Community-managed integrated water supply projects demonstrate what can be achieved in a fragile and degraded environment through actively involving communities in managing their natural resources. Much of the time saved in collecting water will be spent on other productive activities. Collection of water is one of the more repetitive, physically demanding and time-consuming tasks for women. Reduced drudgery can significantly improve women’s quality of life. ONLY WITH YOUR SUPPORT!