City Group, WaterAid to improve hygiene of tea pickers

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between WaterAid Bangladesh and City Group recently to improve access to safe water, accessible sanitation, and hygiene services for the tea pickers.

Under the MoU, WaterAid will provide technical support to access safe and adequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services for the tea pickers. The activities will focus on the plan and design of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructures and implement innovative approaches to reach tea-picker communities and promote inclusive and sustainable WASH in line with SDG 6.

According to a statement, WaterAid will support by forming a WASH committee in the tea garden community, providing training to the tea-pickers representatives, and support with WASH guidelines and manuals to the committee members.

City Group Chairman and Managing Director Fazlur Rahman inaugurated the MoU signing ceremony.

City Group General Manager (Tea Operation) Shazad Sarwar and WaterAid Country Director Hasin Jahan signed the MoU at City Group’s Gulshan office.

During the programme, Hasin Jahan said, “Private sector has a big role to play towards achieving SDGs. They often play a vital and positive impact on the development activities through uplifting the economic condition of the people. The MoU agreement with City Group is an indication that businesses can contribute to support access to water and sanitation for the marginalised communities such as tea-picker communities towards living a healthy life and contribute to SDG 6.”

In his remarks, Fazlur Rahman said, “If we ensure to improve the living standards and the wellbeing of the workers, they become efficient and their work productivity increase. The collaboration between City Group and WaterAid aims to increase sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for tea pickers to fulfil their rights and needs, which they deserve.”