WASH

December 27, 2018

4 ways to change the world of water, sanitation and hygiene

Life is different for three out of 10 people worldwide, or 2.1 billion people, who do not have clean, safe water in their homes. One quarter of the world’s population does not have access to decent toilets. In cities alone, over 80 million people practice open defecation.
November 20, 2018

Waste to welfare: A tale of Jamalpur and its people

The amount of waste water produced each year by Jamalpur town that ends up in its lakes is enough to fill the Empire State Building in New York.
August 16, 2018

Walking three kilometres for a bathroom break

85% of schools in Bangladesh have at least one sanitation facility for students. Only half of them have a separate toilet for girls, with only 8% having a hand-washing station with soap and water.
July 2, 2018

2+6=17? Leveraging water & sanitation for nutrition

Undernutrition is an important and sensitive marker for poverty. It is caused by a variety of factors, with inadequate and unbalanced food being just one.
May 29, 2018

That time of month: Why is menstruation still a problem?

Menstruation is not just a monthly affair for many girls in Bangladesh. It is also an issue that hinders their education and their entire life. On Menstrual Hygiene Day, learn how we encouraged girls to stay in school throughout the year.
March 22, 2018

When nature gives you resources, store it

As we mark the World Water Day 2018, we shed light on the revival of the traditional rainwater harvesting systems that are improving the lives of many who live in water stressed, remote areas.
October 11, 2017

Averting a mass health crisis at Bangladesh’s most popular holiday destination

Cox’s Bazar is the world’s longest sea beach, and littered with holidaymakers and colourful beach umbrellas throughout the year. Less than an hour’s drive from the string of shiny hotels, however now lies a mega city of black tarp tents.
February 1, 2016

Can students themselves fight the water crisis in rural schools?

A few months ago, Thaingkhali High School in south-eastern Bangladesh had neither safe water supply nor adequate facilities for handwashing. Without safe water in the school premises during the dry season, students felt dehydrated, becoming sleepy and unable to concentrate during lessons.
December 8, 2015

Breaking bad – How to make good habits stick

Recently I visited Manikganj in rural Bangladesh to see BRAC’s work in water and sanitation.  A shopkeeper at a local market said that he knew handwashing was important, but soap was expensive.  “What’s more expensive,” I asked, “soap or the medicines for treating diarrhea and fever?”  “Medicine,” he said.  He knew the answer - but that didn’t change his actions.
August 3, 2015

Voices of success in BRAC WASH communities

“People are developing a taste for healthy living. They want improvement‑ compared to us and what we are doing, they want better,” says Md Amin Uddin, one of the elders in Arua village in Keshabpur upazila, Jessore, Bangladesh who is optimistic about the future.
March 29, 2015

Lessons in revolutionising drinking water systems in saline areas

Sutarkhali is located in Khulna, next to the mangrove forests of Sundarbans. Climate change in this southern region has seen cyclones with more damaging effects. The sea level is rising, and loss of land through erosion and saltwater intrusion makes it hard to find safe drinking water. There are 40 million people living in the coastal belt of Bangladesh who rely on natural water sources to sustain their livelihoods and daily needs.
January 8, 2015

Yes, hygiene and school enrolment are directly proportional

“A study undertaken in Bangladesh revealed an 11 per cent increase in girls’ enrolment mainly due to the provision of sanitary toilets.” -Technical paper series/IRC, In Bangladesh the standard number of toilets in schools has been set as a minimum of one toilet for every 60 students. However, this is far from being achieved. The infographic below shows that on average, schools in Bangladesh have half the number of toilets required. However, although 94 per cent of schools have latrines within the compound, a large number remain unusable because they are dirty or broken.