Support refugees with clean drinking water and toilets

Seventy-five refugee families reside in the Signature Bridge refugee camp, Delhi and are living in the deplorable condition on the banks of Yamuna, lacking almost all basic amenities, including water, toilets and electricity. This camp is located in a forest, which makes them unsafe even during the daytime.

Since there are no toilets, everyone is compelled to go to the forest to relieve themselves. Women and children especially are exposed to personal safety risks and open defecation takes a toll on their health and the environment.

Another major problem is the access to drinking water. There are only three functional hand pumps in the camp and this water is contaminated. Camp residents are compelled to use water from the hand pumps due to the lack of other options. Due to using the contaminated water, health and skin conditions are rampant especially among women and children. Skin diseases including scabies and kidney stones have become common health issues due to the poor quality of water. 

Access to clean drinking water and a hygienic sewage system are human rights and basic human needs. The lack of functioning toilets and inadequate hygiene pose a major health risk especially for an already vulnerable population. In order to address these problems, HAI is constructing nine, self-sustaining Ecosan toilets and installing three water filters to ensure basic human dignity and reduce health risks. Water filters will reduce the risk of water-borne diseases and allow for adequate clean water for consumption, cooking and hygiene requirements. 

Objectives:

1.     To install at least three water filtration units to ensure access to safe water for drinking and other purposes

2.     Construction of self-sustaining, eco-friendly nine ECOSAN toilets in the camp to ensure basic human dignity and reduce open-defecation and related health and hygiene risks

3.     To ensure dignified access to sufficient and safe WASH services

Following impacts are expected:

Construction of toilets will make the refugee camp open defecation free, and also significantly mitigate the protection risk to women. This activity will restore dignity among everyone's life, particularly among women. This will also help improve the overall community health in the camp.

Installation of water filters will ensure reduction in water borne and skin diseases. It will also ensure availability of drinking water around the year.