Give the Gift of Health and Dignity to a Bangladeshi Community

Twenty-six year old Nasima lives in Demra slum with her husband and two young children, ages two and eight. Her husband makes a living as a day-laborer, and on the days when he is working, he earns about $1 each day. Nasima works in the garment industry making sweaters for me and you - she proudly told us that all the clothes she makes are good enough for export to Europe and America. She works six days a week about eight hours each day, except when they are struggling to meet their deadline. Then she’ll work 10 hours, 14 hours, whatever it takes, also earning about $1 per day.

Adding to her daily workload is the walk for water. She walks to the nearest handpump. Most days there is a long line at the pump, or it is not working, so she has to go somewhere else or buy water from an expensive illegal water vendor.

Her slum also has no hygienic toilet. She showed us the overflowing pit they are currently using. A toilet we wouldn’t let our children get near, but Nasima’s children have no other option.

Using a safe, clean toilet is something we take for granted. For the 4 million people living in Dhaka’s slums, not having a toilet is a major killer. Surviving diarrhea is the single largest hurdle facing children under the age of five here.

With your support, all this can change for Nasima and her entire community.

A key aspect to all Water 1st projects is community commitment. Nasima and her neighbors will pay 100% of the construction cost of a water and sanitation project through loan installments over one to two years. Community members will be actively involved in the design of the project, specifically selecting locations for water points and toilets and formulating water use rules and repayment of credit. An all-female committee will be formed and receive training from our local partner organization in leadership, bookkeeping and operations and maintenance. All community members will receive training in hygiene education, learning how the use of safe water and toilets are essential to good health.

Your donation will be used to create a loan fund for Nasima’s community water point and toilet in Demra, and also to pay for the training community members will receive as part of the project. Repaid loan funds will be used for future water and sanitation projects for communities in need in Dhaka.

We believe the global water crisis will be solved when we build a community of concerned individuals and motivate and mobilize them to take simple, effective actions.