Plan Community’s involvement in waste water disposal Pakistan Conference on sanitation, Islamabad th May 2009 By Imran Y. Shami, WES Advisor, Plan Pakistan

Plan Pakistan’s intervention in Rural Sanitation Plan Pakistan is working with the Communities to improve the sanitation condition in the rural Communities and Urban settlements, and our interventions in rural areas include: Facilitate construction of House hold latrines Construction of School toilet blocks Solid waste management Health and hygiene awareness Laying of waste water drainage systems

Plan Pakistan’s approach in Rural Sanitation We are working to bring about a change in the lives of the Children with whom we work, and our approach includes : Working with men, women and Children Need identified and prioritized by the Community Sharing all interventions and designs Cost sharing, be it in kind or cash Supervision and monitoring by Community Operation and maintenance by the Community

Waste water disposal through Community involvement As stated in my previous slide we work with the Communities in a long term partnership, in order to build their capacities, develop linkages and strengthen institutions within the Community. The waste water disposal systems that we are successful in laying is due to the empowerment and ownership of the Communities, and their willingness to operate and maintain the same

Waste water disposal through Community involvement…… Contd The system was needed in the plain areas of Vehari, where there is almost no natural slope nor is there any waste water disposal except in the streets or in waste water ponds. Here Plan is working through its partner PIEDAR

Waste water disposal out in the streets or ponds

Measurements being taken by Community and Children

Waste water disposal through Community involvement Once the scheme is designed, shared and approved by the Community, the Community share is determined based on the cost of the scheme and they decide the mode of contribution. This may be in the form of cash or kind and is taken form the entire Community barring the really destitute identified by the Community themselves. The Land for the disposal well, pump room is donated by an individual, who transfers the same in the name of the Community

Waste water disposal through Community involvement….. Contd The operation and maintenance of the scheme is the responsibility of the CBO, and what they have done so far is that the person who would like to utilize the waste water runs the Pump and is responsible for its day to day costs, any major cost that is to be borne ie replacement of pump etc is done by the entire Community’s contribution

The clean streets

The waste water being utilized for irrigation

Advantages of the community involvement Due to the involvement of the Community from start to end, coupled with the awareness on the link of sanitation with health, leads to total ownership of the scheme. The results so far have shown a better crop productivity with less use of fertilizers, making the scheme economically beneficial, besides being a contributor to better health.

THANK YOU, AND LETS STRIVE TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SMILING