Community Awareness Dialogue

Safe Water and Sanitation in Rural villages of District Nawabshah Launched

by Sangat Development Foundation (SDF)

Given in growing health problems in rural areas of District Nawabshah, mostly

resulted in by unsafe water and sanitation problems, Sangat Development
Foundation (SDF) being a responsible community based organisation has
launched
community
awareness
dialogue on
safe water
and sanitation
with rural
communities
of remote and
backward
areas of
district
Nawabshah.

Sangat team
visited a
number of
rural villages
and schools in order to spread awareness on importance of safe drinking water
and sanitation, with a view to cope with growing chronic diseases mostly born
out of unsafe drinking water and sanitation.

The health team of Sangat Development Foundation (SDF) convinced the rural
community to adopt better hygiene practices to keep themselves and their child
community safe from curable diseases.

“We used to drink open bond water and also utilise same water for cooking,”
Ahmed explains of village Qaimuddin Sahito. “If we had known that unsafe
water was harmful for our health and health of our children and causing
diarrhoea and respiratory disease – we would not be drinking it.”

He further proposed that there is badly need to carry this message house to
house to educate especially women community who could be effective change
agents in the society for building a healthy nation. It is very difficult to change
old habits of the people in one or two meetings; it needs sustained efforts to

Safe Water and Sanitation Campaign in Rural Villages of District Nawabshah

convince the common masses to carry out self-initiatives for safe drinking water
and sanitation.

Not doubt, somewhere in rural areas, unsafe water is also main issue, which has
resulted in many water born diseases i.e diarrhea in children of the rural areas,
but lack of sanitation awareness has also played havoc with the health of the
rural community.

It has been noticed that open defecation is the main cause of health problems
especially of children in rural villages. They used to practicing open defecation,
which is causing many diseases in children. Sanitary Latrine system still has not
been developed in rural villages; even in some rural villages it is a new very
concept
for them.

There is
dire need
to be
launched
campaign
in rural
schools
because
children
and youth
are more
recipients
of
sanitation
message
than the
old age people. The children and youth could play an effective role in promoting
hygiene conditions in rural areas.

No doubt children is vulnerable segment of any society, which need care and
look after in their early ages of life, but especially in our rural areas, the child
community is not given even due attention, it may be of their socio-psychological
development and health.

Poor sanitation also highly contributes in developing diarrheal diseases, which

ultimately to be the cause of child mortality. Improved hygiene conditions will
save lives and help child survival and environmental sustainability. Therefore,
sustained efforts need to be undertaken for educating rural community on

Safe Water and Sanitation Campaign in Rural Villages of District Nawabshah

importance of safe drinking water and sanitation, not merely to control the
curable diseases in child community but also to have better environment for over

“Children have never been very good at listening to their

elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.

all health of our community.

Safe Water and Sanitation Campaign in Rural Villages of District Nawabshah