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.

WASH FORUM (monthly talk program)

WASH FORUM (monthly talk program)

June Series

Talk program on“Fecal Sludge Management – Current Need for Sustainable Sanitation”

WASH Forum is monthly talk programme on issues related to WASH, Environment sanitation and Disaster. On 28^th June 2013, with the mutual effort of Paschim Paaila and Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), 23rd series of WASH Forum was successfully conducted in ENPHO hall with the facilitation of Mr. Roshan Chaulagain.

Mr. Bipin Dangol, Programme Manager, ENPHO was the key speaker of June series in which there were total 45 participants from different organizations, colleges and institutions . The main objectives of this series was to provide an opportunity for social interaction and knowledge sharing on fecal sludge management and to analyze critically the issues of current  fecal sludge for sustainable sanitation.

This topic is new in the context of Nepal. During the program he highlighted important information related to Fecal Sludge Management and Sustainable Sanitation. He also discussed about sanitation and current practice in Nepal. According to Census Report; among 100%, only 62% Household have their own toilet (Sewerage 8.3%, Ordinary toilet 19.5%, Septic tank 33.5%) and remaining 38% are without having toilet. He also presented the fact, Average volume of fecal sludge generated per year in Kathmandu valley is 76,600m3\year.

After completion of his Presentation part, floor was open for discussion. Different queries were raised and solved regarding the issues of social acceptance and space management for septic tank. On a question ‘What are the strategy plan of government to manage fecal sludge? ’, Mr. Dangol answered that Nepal Government has not made any strategy plan for fecal sludge management till now. The management of fecal sludge by promoting ECOSAN Toilet, off site sanitation was discussed in the mean time. He concluded the session with the Note“Policy is most important for sustainable sanitation”.

Meanwhile, the winner of Facebook photo Competition entitled “My effort to save environment, was announced . The winner of competition was Mr. Anish Sapkota from Bhairawa, and awarded a Token of Love, which was facilitated by Ms. Manusha Thapaliya, Media coordinator, Paschim Paaila. Also the upcoming events of Paschim Paaila were shared by Mr. Buddha Bajracharya, Campaign coordinator of Paschim Paaila. At the ending, Ms. Merina Shakya, Network coordinator of Paschim Paaila appreciated the efforts of Mr. Dangol and handed over the Token of Love which was followed by group photo.
                                                                                                                 - Karuna Bhattarai

WASH Forum(May Series) on " ODF movement in Nepal and National Target"

                             Know about ODF on Forum

   With the mutual effort of Paschim Paaila and Environment and Public health organization(ENPHO), WASH Forum share a common platform for knowledge sharing and advocacy regarding water, sanitation and hygiene and disaster/epidemics. In this forum, basically current issue and it even tries to address the voice of diversified youth, communities and others.

   With an objective to provide an opportunity for social interaction and knowledge in WASH and its role on development and to critically analyze Youth's role in development, May series of WASH forum entitled "ODF Movement in Nepal and National Target" was successfully conducted on 24^th May 2013.

   Mr. Guna Raj Shrestha, Executive Director of Community Development Forum was the key speaker in which there were total 21 participants. Mr. Shrestha during his sharing program highlighted the importance of ODF in all the levels. He motivated the youths to spread awareness of ODF as it is the most challenging issues in the present scenario in our country.

    During that session, Mr. Shrestha shared his long personal experience, motivational examples which really address the problem of Nepal. “Triggering tools, pressuring, reward/recognition will be the most effective to aware the people and to pass the message of WASH” he said.

   On a question raised, “How is ODF sustained where it is already declared? What about ODF in Kathmandu?” he replied, we can't change peoples’ thinking until and unless they are self aware, it is hard in Kathmandu but not impossible, as there should implement the government policy, we have to think and act seriously. Overall the program was facilitated by Mr. Roshan Chaulagain and the program was ended with group photo and interaction with participants.