Footsteps, a development based social enterprise with a primary focus to address social challenges and improve current scenarios of health, environment and education in Bangladesh, has been working toimprove the quality of life for school children.
Safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) has been one of those problems where Footsteps has been introducing versatile solutions through its initiative Project Trishna, according to a press release issued on Thursday.
The project primarily focuses on creating a holistic approach of WASH in all marginalized communities across the country, besides that the project educates children, community members with multiple awareness building sessions through fun engagement segments.
Discovering the similarity in mission and intent, Footsteps approached Planet Water Foundation (PWF) – an American based INGO working on alleviating the global water crisis by bringing clean water access and water-health and hygiene education programs to the world's most impoverished communities.
The primary discussion with PWF was initiated in May 2022 on expanding the work to Bangladesh. Later on, the conversation initiated the process to assess the water quality and demand in the marginalized communities in Kushtia in October 2022.
This then led the process of installation of AquaTowers in two primary schools of Kushtia on November 14th and 15th, 2022.
AquaTower consists of a water filtration unit and handwashing booth which creates the scope for holistic WASH approach. Students can access safe water and hygiene, simultaneously through each AquaTowers.
Besides that, for maintaining hygiene in the WASH blocks for students, Planet Water's AquaSan (Sanitizer) provides schools with the capability to sanitize latrines and surfaces with chlorinated water to improve the hygiene and health of school children.
The installed AquaTowers are ensuring safe drinking water sources for 2,500 children along with 7,000 community people under the Project Trishna.
The collaboration between Footsteps Bangladesh and Planet Water Foundation has been successful to establish a healthy source of drinking water for the school children and neighboring communities.
Implementation funding was facilitated by Xylem Watermark which is Xylem's CSR program. During the implementation, a team from PWF and Footsteps were present to inaugurate both the aqua towers in Kushtia.
Deployment of the AquaTower by Footsteps BD and Planet Water Foundation Courtesy
Besides that, a hygiene education program was implemented with students, teachers and community members. This education program included interesting and interacting drama, games, songs and story telling that educate the children and teachers in order to build a resilient community that values Sanitation and Wash facilities.
The goal of this hygiene program was to bring change in behaviour, beliefs and practices to lead a healthy life.
Students were engaged in the hygiene education program Courtesy
The head teacher of Mirpur Model Government Primary School added: “It is urgent to safeguard the safety of our students through clean water now that they are back to in-person classes. Our school is more than thankful to the team of Footsteps and Planet Water Foundation for the clean water systems and education materials because they will help establish healthy hygiene habits to the children in our village as well as their families."
The mission was completely carried out by the young and dynamic group of Changemakers at Footsteps Bangladesh, who share the vision to empower communities by mitigating the various social challenges and improve livelihood for communities.
This success story of ensuring fresh water source in Kushtia is yet another accomplishment that brings Project Trishna one step closer to its mission which is to build a resilient community that values and ensures WASH Facilities.