Summary
A pilot to initially train 20 women to use of a biosand filter for their own households, and then recruit and train other women in the community, as an income generating micro business enterprise.
Background
In Nigeria, Plateau State, Bokkos community where OCEAN intends to implement this project, access to clean and safe water still remains a critical challenge to every day life. Indeed, to many village communities and even urban centers safe water is the difference between life and death. Several of the community water sources are rivers, hand dug wells and streams. These uncertain sources of water supply have resulted in outbreaks of water borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. For instance in 2004, OCEAN FOUNDATION conducted a baseline survey on gender assessment in some rural-urban centers in need of water for the Plateau State Government. Findings of this study showed that there is a relationship between ill health in the communities and their sources of water. Similarly, a study conducted by Ezeji, (2005) on rapid gender assessment of the water situation in Jos, Plateau State for the United Nations Habitat Water for Africa cities, WAC II discovered that several people in the communities under study fall sick due to their contaminated drinking water sources. This study discovered that intestinal illness affects children most, this is characterized by stomach pain, diarrhea, and dehydration and has led to several deaths due to the contaminated water these children drink. About 50% of children in the community studied under age 5 die every year from effects of drinking water. While 30% of the people including women are without access to sanitation and 80% of illness detected in the community originated from their water sources (Ezeji, 2005). Most importantly, Bokkos has experienced an outbreak of cholera which was directly linked to one of the water sources (a dam) in the community. This has led to several deaths within the community as well as productive man hours lost due to ill health. This project if implemented in Bokkos Local Government will significantly reduce the incidences of water related disease like cholera and diarrhea. The community will benefit from the program because there will be reduced instance of illness, more children will go to school rather than being ill and staying out of school. Members of the community will stay healthy and pursue other productive endeavors such as farming which is the main occupation of the community and trading. The project will also be promoted as an income generating activity for the community members to improve their live hood.
3. What does the project propose to do?
OCEAN intends to train 20 women from Bokkos community on Water, sanitation and h
Location
Jos, Plateau State, North Central, NigeriaFocus
Primary Focus: Capacity Building
Secondary Focus: Drinking Water - Community
People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 120
School Children Getting Water: 200
People Getting Sanitation: 100
People Getting Other Benefits: 120
Start Date: 2008-12-01
Completion Date: 2008-12-06
Technology Used:
OCEAN intends to use the Biosand filter water technology which is an appropriate and adaptable technology for the community. The filter is a modified slow sand water filter that removes biological contaminants from water. It is also a simple household water treatment that can be built with local materials. Most importantly the biosand filter has proven to be an effective filter comparable with tradition slow sand filters in both laboratory and field tests. It has been tested by various government, research and health institutions as well as nongovernmental organizations. Several studies have shown that the biosand filter removes more than 90% of fecal coliform and other contaminants found in water. The biosand filter will greatly improve the health of men, women and children of bokkos community who had an outbreak of cholera and dysentery last year. The dam in the community was contaminated and several people were taken ill while several others died. Although the state government through the rural water supply and sanitation agency provided a bole hole, this does not adequately carter for the safe water needs of the people. This has resulted to people including women and children using other questionable water sources such as streams, hand dug wells and rivers. This project will ensure that the incidence of water borne diseases is reduced over time as most of the diseases in the community according to the community primary health centre are water related such as typhoid, cholera e.t.c.
Phases:
OCEAN intends to train 20 women from Bokkos community on Water, sanitation and hygiene related issues by conducting a WASH advocacy seminar. The community will also be taught simply water testing method using the Portable Micro Biology Laboratory (PTL) me
Community Organization:
this pilot will initially train 2O women who will make use of the filter for their own households. These women will be required to recruit and train other women in the community. The project will be promoted as an income generating activity to be implemented as a micro business enterprise at the community level. The 20 women will be expected to recruit and train 20 women each and we will replicate the process using the initial 20 women as our focal point of contact for those who will want to own a filter or be trained to be a filter producer.
Government Interaction:
Ancillary activities:
This project will have a enterprenuerial componet( micro business and developing a business, so that the women who will be involved in the project can start a micro- business biosand filter venture within the community.
Other Issues:
Maintenance Revenue:
It will also be demand driven to ensure sustainability for filter entrepreneurs. This will ensure that the target group (20 women) will own the process.
? The community stewards will ensure that the Biosand filter is used effectively and maintained appropriately, by house visits.
? Promoting the project as an income-generating venture to secure livelihoods including a micro business development planning.
? Engage corporative thrift society to serve as a source of financing for the women within the community several of the participating women belong to this association.
? Monitoring/impact assessment visits.
? Documentation of learning and lessons learnt.
? Biosand community stewards are the ones who will sustain the project after the intervention. Because the training imparted on the target group who will promote and continue to build the filter will be the project greatest asset.
? WASCOM will sustain the hygiene and sanitation awareness campaign to ensure environmental sustainability of the project.
9. Please enclose total project budget. Project sum: USD 3,000
Maintenance Cost:
Metrics:
Prior art before metrics
Cost: $3,000
Item Content Unit cost Quantity Amount
Description $
Mitigating The Impact of Water Borne Diseases through the BIOSAND FILTER.
Mould 40 1 200
Rock washer 20 1 30
Cautionary statement poster
3 50 400
Administrative cost;
For 4 project staff
Including transportation and feeding @ project site
To be borne by OCEAN 50 2 500
Educational cost
Co Funding Amount: $1,000
OCEAN FOUNDATION
Community Contribution Amount:
Fund Requested: $2,000
Implementing Organization: Organized Centre for Empowerment and Advocacy in Nigeria, OC
Established in 2004, Organized Centre for Empowerment and advocacy in Nigeria (OCEAN Foundation) is a broad based Non-Governmental, non-profit making Organization with a bias for the plight of women and young people. OCEAN and its members are involved in capacity building and grassroots social development work. Ocean’s advocacy work includes; environmental governance, advocacy on water, sanitation and hygiene and promoting appropriate and affordable water technology for access to safe and clean water for healthy communities.