Home ›› 17 May 2023 ›› Corporate
The Coca-Cola Foundation has joined hands with WaterAid Bangladesh on a project to improve Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in climate-vulnerable areas and also promote water replenishment through rainwater harvesting.
The joint project titled “Promoting Water Replenishment and WASH Services” to promote water and sanitation security in the Savar and Sunamganj areas for 18 months starting from February this year, according to a press statement.
The project entails setting up rainwater harvesting solutions for sustained water security at the campus of the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP). It will also introduce the effective recycling techniques of using rainwater for non-drinking purposes. In addition to the work in CRP, Savar, there will be refurbishment work undertaken in Sunamganj district, which was severely affected during the flood in July 2022.
Two schools and five healthcare facilities have been selected where this project will be implemented to improve effective sanitation management to improve water, sanitation ad hygiene accesses for students and patients. More than 30,000 people are expected to be reached through these institutions.
Coca-Cola Foundation President, Saadia Madsbjerg said, “Sustainable access to safe water is a core priority area for the foundation and we are proud to support the work of WaterAid Bangladesh in improving water access in key locations “
This project will build resilience of the climate-vulnerable communities residing in Sunamganj. Along with providing rehabilitation support for the damaged facilities, it will also aim to improve the capacity of the local community to gain technical knowledge on how to manage the WASH resources, especially during any disaster. The project is expected to reach a total of more than 60,000 direct people among whom more than 6 per cent% are adolescents or young women.
WaterAid Bangladesh Country Director, Hasin Jahan said, “Due to changing climate, nations like Bangladesh are faced with multipronged climate threats, and at the heart of it is water security for communities and the environment. We know promoting water and sanitation security is vital to create a more sustainable Bangladesh – with conservation and resilience in its core. This project between WaterAid and The Coca-Cola Foundation has the potential to create a real change for the betterment of the community while demonstrating large-scale adaption solutions for water security and WASH access in communities.”
Previously, the two organisations partnered together for the WASH initiative in 2017 aiming to develop climate-resilient inclusive sanitation facilities for schools and community clinics, conduct hygiene campaigns with the community, enhance knowledge of local actors on WASH adaptation, and increase the availability of safe and affordable drinking water by installing context-specific water technologies (groundwater recharge systems and reverse osmosis plants). Through this project, 27 schools and 400 families received hand washing facilities improving sanitation for more than 19,000 students and raising awareness among more than 7,000 women and girls. The project also improved sanitation facilities for more than 53,000 community people.
