It is imperative to ensure access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities to all sections of the society but millions of people still find it difficult to achieve this. Access to WASH is critical when we talk about sustainable social and economic growth. These basic rights have not been realized by many poor and underprivileged people, so we strive hard to improve WASH and thereby, living and economic conditions of poor rural and semi-urban households, through economic incentives, primarily enhancing financial inclusion of these households.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) is one of the primary drivers of public health.
Safe Drinking Water & Sanitation
The poor people living in rural areas are more vulnerable to water-borne diseases due to unsafe drinking water and poor habits of sanitation. It is estimated that currently 46% MMR and 40% NMR cases are found alone in Odisha. The new sustainable development goals (SDGs) aspire to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all the people by 2030. Thereby, Adhikar has been sincerely working to make substantial progress in improving access to unserved populations with safe drinking water and sanitation. To create a healthy society it is fundamental to change the attitude and behavior of the people which is a challenging task. To internalize the good practices among the people Adhikar educates communities that have had a direct impact on safe drinking water and sanitation. Considering the urgency of WASH Ahdikar with support from Water.Org launched the JEEVAN DHARA project in 2012, which envisions ensuring healthy life to more than 200 million households. Hence, under this project, we are working on the creation of low coast infrastructure for the accessibility of water and sanitation through microloans. Since the beginning of the project, we have reached out to 52000 households in rural Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Community Based RO Water
Saline water laced with Arsenic in the Chilika region creates serious health-related problems for the poor and marginalized communities. More than 15000 people in 132 villages depend on Chilika for their livelihood. Due to poverty, they are unable to afford treated water from commercial sources and water purifiers at home and thus, continue to battle with various chronic diseases. This unseen battle only can be won if access to clean drinking water is resolved. In 2014 Adhikar in association with Dia Vikas and MI India Development Trust initiated Community Safe Drinking Water Hatabardih Panchayat of Balugan Block, Odisha. The project plans to ensure that the community can develop knowledge, resources, systems to maintain and get direct benefits out of it. The RO and Ultraviolet technology make the water completely free of any bacteria and other impurities making it safe for drinking.
Community Borewell
Community Borewell is one of the holistic approaches to address the water scarcity problems in the backward areas. Around 89% of the people in Odisha live in rural areas and mostly depend on agriculture. The groundwater level is very poor. Over decades now it has further depleted from 100-200 feet to 300-400 feet. There are myriad problems like drinking water scarcity and depleted groundwater levels in various tribal-dominated districts of Odisha. These are the result of a huge deviation in the pattern of rainfall and above all with the changing climate condition. Industrialisation has only added to the woes by aggravating water problems substantially. The present water crisis is nothing but the absence of well-thought out water management policies and practices. In adherence to SDG and Adhikar aims at making clean drinking water accessible and affordable to all.
Affordable Housing
After food, shelter is the most desired need of all human being. Having a proper house causes dignified living. Housing, mainly for the poor and marginalized is a critical problem that occupies center-stage in present day development issues. Access to resilient housing by the poor and vulnerable sections always remains a distance dream due to lack of finance. Not having a proper house is a concern but unable to afford for is a major concern. Realising this, Adhikar works hard to make poor people in rural areas afford a resilient house in reality.
Adhikar with support from NABARD in 2016 and from HABITAT in 2018 supported rural poor with low cost housing loan. Since the inception of the project 1000 households in four districts of Odisha has been benefited.