Promoting Environmental Health for Urban Poor (PEHUP) Dissemination Event
WaterAid’s PEHUP project helps 170 urban slums of the country gain access to safe water, improved sanitation and better hygiene practices.
On August 2 2017, WaterAid Bangladesh held a dissemination event at Bangabandhu International Convention Center, showcasing experiences and learnings of a five and half year project it implemented for the urban poor from November 2011 to June 2017 - known as ‘Promoting Environmental Health for Urban Poor’ (PEHUP).
The project, which was implemented in 170 slums of three of the main cities of the country – Dhaka, Khulna and Chittagong, aimed to target low income communities and designed activities that would help in improving their Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) status.
During its intervention tenure, PEHUP has managed to carry out various innovative measures in order to support the Sustainable Development Goal 6 by helping the deprived get access to their basic right to safe water and sanitation. Some key highlights from the project include - helping 99.9% households get access to safe drinking water from improved water sources, guiding over 80% of households to start using improved hygienic latrines, and educating over 88% people on the positive practice of washing hands with soap after defecation.
The half-day event was a grand affair with guests from various fields of development. Ms. Zuena Aziz (Secretary), Member of Physical Infrastructure Division, Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh graced the event as Chief Guest; Mr Khandakar Rakibur Rahman, Director General of NGO Affairs Bureau and Mr. Anders Öhrström, Charge the Affairs of the Embassy of Sweden, Dhaka were also present as Special Guests.
The project was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and supported locally by four national NGOs - Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK), Concerned Women for Family Development (CWFD), Nabolok, and Association for Realisation of Basic Needs (ARBAN).
