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THE EXPERIENCE OF INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST SOCIETY IN USING
Dr. Narendra Kumar Mallick
BACKGROUND: International Buddhist Society (IBS) is implementing the Health focused program in the Rupendehi district since 1993. The main program of the IBS includes free health clinic in its office premises at Buddhanagar, Lumbini and Community Health and sanitation program in the 17 cluster villages of 6 VDCs of the Lumbini area. In the community level it is providing the health education program, literacy and supporting the small scale community sanitation schemes i.e., Hand pump (depth more than 190 feet), artesian pump, drainage and community toilet program. Exchange Himalayan, France has been providing funding to this program since 1996. Now it is moving towards the third phase of the programmes and also working with the collaboration of Cross Flow/Nepal. It is currently employing 15 Nepalese staff. Overall programme of the organization is being periodically reviewed internally with the staff and with the community. WHAT IS SODIS: * A treatment method to eliminate the pathogens which cause water-borne diseases * Ideal to disinfect small quantities of water used for consumption * A water treatment process depending on solar energy only * An alternative water treatment option for use mainly at household level * An old but so far hardly applied water purification method SODIS PROGRAMME IN IBS: Dr. Peter Moulton, Executive Director of Global Resources Institute of Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A., was pleased to work with IBS to implement SODIS programme. The SODIS program has been conducted by IBS since 1999. SODIS program is implemented in 9 villages of 6 VDCs. The most basic of the solar disinfection systems that Dr. Peter Moulton has introduced purifies water in plastic bottles by exposure to day light which provides both solar disinfection and solar heating to aid the disinfection process. The bottles are placed on racks at an angle to maximize their exposure to the sun and to keep them away from animals and other sources of contamination. PROCESS OF SODIS PROGRAMME: A - Before starting this program, women's group leaders were oriented on SODIS technology by IBS for 3 days. B - Black painted sheet and 20 plastic mineral water bottles were provided for each of 5 houses for SODIS experiment. C - The field tests did confirm the effectiveness of SODIS. Tests were made to determine the time required for disinfection using bottles on the blackened rack, bottles set in direct sunlight and bottles set in open shade. Also tests in direct sunlight were made with an aged, scratched and discolored bottle for comparison with new bottles. D - After using this process the water is 100% free from contamination. E - After using the bottles for one and half months we replace them because scratched & discolored bottles are not used. F - To ensure the specific result, IBS motivators test the water by Hydrogen Sulphide every 15 days. G - 5573 population of 9 villages are interested to this program and they call it "GHAMPANI" program. H - Due to the regular motivation and successful SODIS experiment the villagers are using this water confidently. LESSONS LEARNED: Program can be implemented through health post, schools, DDC and VDC in the following sectors: 1. School level: Students are being taught about this SODIS experiment under school health program. 2. Health post level: Clean drinking water is not only important for general health but is also important for preparing oral rehydration formulas for child birth, for women's hygiene and for other health concerns. 3. Commercial sector: In many tourist areas plastic mineral water bottles have become an environmental problem. Providing clean drinking water through SODIS and refilling the plastic bottles would reduce the number of discarded bottles and provide increased local income. Such program would require the development of consumer confidence through extensive education and through rigorous quality assurance and testing. 4. Community level: In all clean water programs, testing of water quality is essential in order to distinguish safe from unsafe water and in order to monitor the effectiveness of any purification methods. Coordinate village monitoring program and to make available simple presence/absence test for biological contamination such as the Hydrogen sulphide test. In general it must be viable in the tourist flow regions. SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES: * Develop procedures for data collection, recording and reporting * Develop educational and training materials * Assigned a staff and testing facilities for implementing the SODIS * Provide staff training * Provide education and training in clean water to villagers * Train villagers in the use of SODIS and provide equipment * Monitor and ensure the process * Evaluate the results of SODIS * Disseminate information to the concerned and like-minded organization * Use in the massive scale SUMMARY OF OUT-COMES: Clean drinking water for all inhabitants of villages served in SODIS Data base of water and well conditions Evaluation of technology Evaluation of education and training materials and procedures employed in the SODIS Materials for training and education Materials and procedures for data collection, recording and reporting Strategy for clean water program in other areas implemented by the NGOs
Tables:
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Prevalence of Diseases by Village
Results of Hydrogen Sulphide Water Testing
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last modified January 2006 |
