Chardep -Water and Sanitation

CHARDEP -WATER & SANITATION

CHARDEP had the opportunity to implement the following very crucial projects with the support of UNICEF.

SOLID AND LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INTERIM SHELTERS

This project was implemented in three phases in eight interim shelters that were established for the tsunami victims till they could be rehoused. All amenities necessary for maintaining proper personal and environmental hygiene such as sufficient number of toilets, bathing arenas, drainage systems and soak pits were provided through the project. Nutrition and Hygiene education also was imparted to school going children and women. Thus the community could learn about proper disposal of faeces, proper hand washing, dental hygiene and a balanced diet.

Other capacity building components of the project were trainings in masonry skills, hand pump repair and monitoring water and sanitation situation by volunteers.

CHARDEP-SERVICES

Livelihood Promotion

Relief & Rehabilitation

WATER SUPPLY TO INTERIM SHELTERS

Kanyakumari was one of the coastal habitations worst affected by the tsunami. Two interim shelters had been established to accommodate those who had lost their homes. As there was no way of providing them with potable water through pipe connections, CHARDEP undertook the task of supplying potable water to the shelters by way of tanker lorries.

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MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT TRAININGS

CHARDEP conducted these trainings for adolescent girls in 419 high schools in Kanyakumari district. Mostly hailing from economically backward families, the girls lacked knowledge about the basic facts about menstruation. The project undertook to provide them scientific knowledge as well as awareness on how to manage their menstrual cycle hygienically and avoid the various infections and complications they were experiencing.

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The programme equally benefited the teachers who were sensitized to the needs of the their students and guided to deal with them. Practices such as use of disposable napkins were introduced to establish clean habits that would help them throughout life.

ECO TOILET CONSTRUCTION

50 families in Kanyakumari district were provided with eco-sanitation (eco-san) toilets in their homes. Unlike conventional toilets, the eco-san toilets use urine and faecal matter as valuable resources.

The eco-toilet is built above the ground with a twin-chamber beneath the toilet pan to collect faecal matter. Urine and wastewater are diverted and let out onto to a home garden.

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Ash is strewn over the faecal matter to help dehydrate and deodorise it. The faecal matter in the chamber is reduced to powdery manure that can be removed from the chamber once a year to be used as manure.

The requirement of water for these toilets is much less than for conventional ones as no water is required for flushing. Moreover, eco toilets do not pollute water resources but yield rich manure.