Organized WASH-CO Workshop I Series 2020

Edited by: Ms. Anita Bhuju, Network Coordinator
Prepared by: Ms. Susma Sharma, Member, PP Batch III

Paschim Paaila and Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), jointly organized three days “WASH-CO Workshop I Series 2020” from 16^th to 18^th May, 2020 through Zoom platform. This is the very first workshop organized with an objective to enhance the capacity and knowledge on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and its linkage to COVID-19 to empower youths on WASH and COVID-19 to support in preventive measures and bring youths as change maker.

The three day workshop covered sessions related to WASH, COVID-19, hygiene behavior and practice, impact of COVID-19 on SDGs and social media use through presentations from WASH professionals and media professional. The three day workshop moreover remained participatory with interactions and discussions with and among participants. Altogether 40 participants were selected through an application to attend the workshop from various educational background including public health, environmental science, social work, engineering and bio-technology. 

“Participating in the workshop allowed me to gain unknown facts in regard to WASH and COVID-19 and beyond the general information. Thank you Paschim Paaila for providing the opportunity” Ritendra Babu.

Youth WASH Concern Workshop: A Platform to Empower Youths on WASH

Paschim Paaila in Collaboration with ENPHO, organized two days “Youth WASH Concern Workshop XVI Series-2019” on 19th and 20th May, 2019 at ENPHO Hall, Thapagaon, New Baneswor. This workshop program organized with an objective to enhance the capacity and knowledge of youths on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), to empower on WASH initiatives as social issues, to motivate them as Youth WASH ambassador and to sensitize them on importance of WASH to create environmentally healthy community.

It is knowledge sharing program based on participatory approach and interactive sessions among youths and WASH professionals. Participants were engaged in practical activity to test water quality using ENPHO Field Water Test-Kit and also presented their knowledge and idea on the topics through group-works to enhance the capacity for disseminating messages on WASH. At the end of second day, four groups of participants presented plan of actions including ideas to organize advocacy and campaigns to promote/disseminate knowledge and messages on WASH and Menstrual Hygiene Management in Lalitpur, Rasuwa, Kathmandu and Pokhara district.

Altogether, 24 youths from diverse educational background and institutions actively participated in the program actively participated the program where youths from Pokhara arrived Kathmandu to attend the two day workshop.  In facilitation of Paschim Paaila team and facilitators; the regular series of this workshop has been organizing with prior notice of application.

Accomplishment of Youth WASH Concern Workshop VIII - Series

Accomplishment of Youth WASH Concern Workshop VIII - Series

Youth WASH Concern Workshop VIII series was successfully organized on 31^st May and 1^st June, 2014 at Thames International College, Old Baneswor, Kathmandu. The objectives of this workshop were to enhance the capacity and knowledge on WASH, to empower youth on WASH initiatives as social issues and to sensitize youth on importance of WASH to create environmentally healthy community. Overall, the training workshop was facilitated by Mr. Buddha Bajracharya, Network Coordinator and Mr. Roshan Chaulagain, Advocacy Coordinator of Paschim Paaila. Altogether 23 participants from different colleges, institutions, organizations actively participated during the training.

During the training, the resource persons and the participants shared their experiences and ideas. In the session of “Water Management”, Mr. Bipin Dangol, Program Manager of ENPHO highlighted the importance and scarcity of water and he suggested everyone to take this issue seriously and focused on need of proper utilization of water at household level for different purposes. Meanwhile in the session of “Water and PoU option”, Mr. Roshan Chaulagain shared the different methods of water purification at household level and at local level for drinking purpose. Sharing on the issue of “Water and Health”, Mr. Buddha discussed about water pollution in urban and peri-urban areas and its consequences in human health. Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan, District Coordiantor of UN-Habitat shared his experience and showed the actual scenario of community of our country in the sector of WASH.

In the second day of training workshop, Ms. Kamala K.C, Consultant at Water Aid Nepal discussed on food hygiene, personal hygiene and menstrual hygiene and Ms. Merina Shakya, Project Officer of ENPHO elaborate on WASH during disaster. Last but not the least, Mr. Raman Nepali, Youth Activist inspired and motivated the participants to work in the field of WASH to make the country epidemic free and showed different relevant documentary. The participants prepared the work plan to implement in their feasible areas which was then followed by the feedback collection and finally concluded by certificate distribution.

Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

Participants of Youth WASH Concern Workshop VI series

WASH Concern workshop is an interactive attempt of Paschim Paaila to incorporate youth in WASH. Here youth from different colleges were gathered to share their views and to boost up their knowledge in WASH. The VI series of WASH concern Workshop was conducted on 6^th July 2013 at Thames College with total of 24 participants.

Mr. Ash Kumar Khaitu from ENPHO, Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan from UN-HABITAT and Mr. Sarbagya Shrestha from Water Aid Nepal were the key speaker of the Workshop.

Youths during the sessions

The program began with warm welcome from Event Coordinator Mr. Buddha Bajracharya who introduced Paschim Paaila , its vision, objectives, past activities, recent activities, upcoming plan and goal.. Mr. Ash Kumar Khaitu from ENPHO started the session of "Water and hygiene including youth" where he discussed about Open defecation free (ODF), quality maintenance of water, some facts and figures about coverage of water in public and water pollution.

The second session which was of personal hygiene and health was facilitated by Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan from UN-HABITAT who started the session with the comparison of human mind with the glass. Then description on personal hygiene was discussed. The session had lots of group works.

In the session mode of transmission of feaces and what and where can be the barrier to stop the transmission, critical condition of hand washing and hand washing technique were discussed. Different energizer games were played to entertain the participants.

Engagement in Games and Group work

The third session was of sanitation and waste management including role of youth which was facilitated by Mr. Sarbagya Shrestha from Water Aid Nepal. The session was started with the experience sharing from participants on open defecation. Mr. Shrestha then defined sanitation and its types; Improved sanitation, on site sanitation, Food sanitation, Environmental sanitation and Ecological sanitation.

Some facts about sanitation of our country were revealed during the session i.e. 62% of rural school has at least one toilet. 29% of total waste generated is generated by Kathmandu valley only. And only 45 % of total waste generated is collected. He also shared some triggering method in order to make people aware about need and importance of sanitation. Some live examples of proper utilization of waste were also discussed during the session.

Active Involvements of youths

He concluded youth as key for social change, most energetic and proactive age of life, critical mass for action and present leaders. The session was ended with the individual commitment of the participants and feedback collection. Participants rated the workshop as interactive, fun filled and informative.

Sharing ideas on social media and blog among youths

Sharing ideas on social media and blog among youths

By: Kamala KC

In this scientific age, Information technology is makeing the world closer and the different social media like facebook, blog, twitter, youtube and so on is playing important role on it. Most of the youths used different types of social media for different purpose, actually is both way sword. It can be useful very much if used proper way; at the same time, can harm as well if misuse it. “paschim paaila”, a youth network tried to integrate WASH (Water, Sanitation and Health) in social media by using blogging and googling as advocating and sensitizing tool on one day idea sharing workshop entitled, “Application of Social Media & Blog in WASH” on May 9, 2011 at ENPHO Hall, Thapagaun, Kathmandu.

Mr. Phurba Sange Moktan was sharing his ideas of social media with his collogues on the workshop. He said, “Blog is a personal website where we are able to write our experiences, ideas and so on through which we are able to sensitize, aware and empower the youths/people in different issues such as WASH.”

All participants were enjoyed the workshop and able to make and manage their blog properly. Ten people were participating in training. Follow up workshop will be conducted to the participants again on May 18, 2011.