Lives Touched
2015 - 2020
North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad and Nadia, West Bengal
The Story
West Bengal is the most severely arsenic affected State in India with millions of rural population being at risk of consuming high levels of Arsenic through drinking water. National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP), 2012 focused on the redress of the water quality-related problems and arsenic and fluoride affected habitations have been accorded priority. Accordingly, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Govt. of India, had issued orders in 2012, directing the States that have arsenic or fluoride issues, to mark the unsafe tube wells red, to restrict people from consuming arsenic-contaminated water.
Adopting a participatory behaviour change approach was considered a key to seamless undisrupted red marking and ensuring water safety.
Hijli INSPIRATION partnered with UNICEF in developing the Behaviour Change Strategy through a community-involved approach – which was later adopted by Public Health Engineering Department, Government of West Bengal for State-wide rollout.
The Approach involved
- Identification of vulnerable habitations and households
- Behavior Change Communication
- Advocacy for water safety
Project Impact
- 100% Unsafe Tubewells Red-Plated to prevent people from collecting potable water.
- 100% of the households dependent on the unsafe sources accepted the Red Plating Initiative without any resistance.
- Over 90% changed the practice and diverted to a nearby safe source for collecting water for drinking and cooking.
- Department equipped with a list of vulnerable habitations which need alternate water source- supporting them in their action planning.
Champions of Change
Positive Outcomes
The impact of such a Project has touched many lives and has brought about a positive bearing not only on verticals of health and safety but has led to a universal mobilization with the emergence of natural change agents who are advocating to restrict the use of unsafe water and sustain the transformative milieu.
Roadside Tea – Building a Brand
Shah Alam is probably unaware of how many lives he changed with his signboard “Arsenic Free Water used for Making Tea Here”. From a man who was used to selling just tea, he transformed himself into a man who cared for safety and health measures when making and selling tea as a direct outcome of what he had learnt from the INSPIRATION Arsenic team. Awareness campaigns propagating the dangers of using Arsenic contaminated water prompted him to abandon unsafe sources as he had been using previously for making tea, and opt for water marked ‘safe’ instead.
Religious Leader as Change Agent
There are three unsafe sources in Bholla habitation of Purbanarayanpur Village of Rajdharpara GP. The Imam of the Masjid came to know of the arsenic contamination in the masjid’s tubewell. He took charge of making people aware of this. After every prayer, he advocated not to consume water from unsafe sources. It has been a huge success and since the Imam took initiative, all the villagers have stopped taking water from the red marked unsafe sources. The Imam became a catalyst of change within the village.
Teachers as Motivators : Being the Difference
In Kalupur habitation of Selamatpur Village, Daulatabad GP, there is a Madrassa with a student capacity of 150. There are two water sources in this Madrassa and both are arsenic affected. Followed by the awareness generated by INSPIRATION team, all the teachers decided to carry water from the nearest safe source, which is located conveniently next to the primary school. However, as the students’ strength of the Primary School is 450, it was getting difficult to collect an adequate quantity of water from this source. Now the Madrassa teachers have decided to fetch water from a source, which is 15 minutes away and no longer endorse using arsenic-contaminated water any more – particularly for cooking and drinking within the School.
Teachers as Motivators : Being the Difference
Rejaul Haque resides almost next door to one of the high arsenic content tube wells and uses the same water at home for potable purposes. Awareness of the ill effects of arsenic contamination prompted Rejaul to display his discoloured skin and his affected limbs- although he remained to be skeptical to get a thorough checkup to avoid any stigmatization associated with skin disease. However consistent and continuous facilitation led Rejaul to concede and attend the Health Check-up organized by INSPIRATION in Swaruppur Camp on 18/11/18. The doctor confirmed that all his ill health stemmed from consuming arsenic-contaminated water. Rejaul underwent medical treatment. He has ceased using the arsenic contaminated tube well, and collects safe water located further away from his house for potable purposes. During his journey towards recovery, Rejaul advocated the ill effects of arsenic in his neighbourhood and dissuaded his neighbours from using the ‘contaminated ’ water. He convinced his neighbours that the trouble to travel some distance to fetch safe water for potable purposes was worth more than travelling to a doctor.