operation and maintenance cost is required (called no-cost pump). The
installation of Easy Pumps is a step towards ensuring children’s right to a
quality education and good health. This has resulted in improved quality of
running water throughout the school year. In addition, less time is spent
fetching water and students get more time for study and recreation.
Attendance at school has also improved since the Easy Pump is a fun way for
children to play and pump water at the same time. A hand washing facility
has been established at school making students aware of personal hygiene
practices.
Empowerment of the Marginalised
1. Participatory Municipal Governance and Poor Peoples’ Access
to Decision-making: What are the Governance Issues of Concerns
in Bangladesh?
Uttam Kumar Saha, Dr. Faruk-Ul-Islam, and S. M. Alauddin, Practical Action
Bangladesh
Urban slums are heavily populated and characterized by poverty,
substandard housing and living environment along with basic infrastructure
services (electricity, gas, water and sanitation) including social and other
problems (frequent eviction and collection of toll by mastans). Bangladesh,
since its independence in 1971, has been experiencing rapid urbanization
and mushrooming of slums in urban areas. The urban population was only
4% (1.83 million) in 1951, rose to about 8% in the next 2 decades, and grew
rapidly after 1971. Currently, the urban population is 28% (42 million) in
2011 (ADB, 2012 and Islam, 2012). The growth rate was high as 6% per
annum since independence against the national growth of 2% per annum.
The country’s urban population, at the existing growth rate, will be almost
doubled (79 million or 42%) by 2035 and will be a challenge for the country’s
sustainable growth and development of urban economy, infrastructure
services, etc. for a decent urban life, despite of significant contribution by
slum people. Practical Action Bangladesh, in partnership with Faridpur
Municipality, Society for the Urban Poor (SUP) and Community
Improvement Federation (CIF) implemented two projects on urban
environment, public health and poverty alleviation for the slum dwellers of
Faridpur town (2006-2010), with the objectives of reducing environmental
threats to health, improving livelihoods and alleviating poverty of the slum
dwellers. Poor governance and infrastructure services resulting higher
deprivation among the slum people in Bangladesh. The project adopted
integrated, participatory and partnership approach (multi-stakeholders,
multi-organizations and community focused), where the Slum/Settlement
Poverty and Development: Realities of Grassroots 31