This project succeeded in increasing the access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities for improved hygiene behavior. The aim of the programme was to bridge the gap in the infrastructure, sustain behavior change practices, increase capacity and access of the urban households to sustainable WASH services. The project ensured community participation in the implementation process from baseline information gathering to WASH hardware installation to behavioral change programs. 

Activities were intended to facilitate the initiation of BVMs/User groups at 4 slums, capacitating the community to fight for their WASH rights, awareness creation of the community, awareness building of schools and reviving the schools management committees to monitor the schools WASH. Formation of BVMs at slum level is carried out successfully with 5-6 active members at each slum level BVM. Cluster level BVMs were also constituted with participation from each slum BVMs. Regular meetings were organized including capacity building exercises and training. Through our city level interface meeting, the concept of city level approach and need of constituting a city level BVM platform wherein, communities are empowered and experiences shared in identifying and understanding their WASH issues and citizens rights. The idea is to support and empower communities in identifying their problem related to WASH and enabling them to develop their capacities for understanding their rights and eventually participate in negotiations with other stakeholders to avail these rights.

Outcomes:

The water and sanitation hardware such as rainwater harvesting, bio-digester, individual bio-toilets, yard connection have increased the water access to the communities in this slum. The government also contributed to the intervention as they sanctioned a new bore well and the yard connection investment has increased to more marginal households. In schools, roof-rainwater harvesting infrastructure constructed help in catering water during the rainy seasons. The usability condition of the school toilet was improved after the toilet repairs and additional toilet construction in the schools. The rainwater harvesting hardware was converted to hand-washing facility considering the number of students and the facility available in the schools.