-Rosy Singh, Resource Center Manager, ENPHO

Solid waste is generated at our home daily. We then eagerly wait for the vehicle to come and get it picked by the sanitation workers. Municipality or the private operators in the Municipality have been providing these services in Kathmandu Valley. Those sanitation workers provide us an indispensable and invaluable service. The services they provide are crucial for all us but the sanitation workers are unimportant, invisible and their voices unheard. Without proper and safe sanitation and hygiene facilities, they are prone to various diseases and health risks. In such a dismal context, it is necessary that we all recognize and work for the rights of the sanitation workers- the rights to live in safe and healthy environment with dignity and safety.

To protect the rights of the sanitation workers and work for improving their conditions, Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), with the support of the Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA) and Kirtipur Municipality led an initiative- a dream project – to establish WASH Facility Center for the sanitation workers in Kirtipur Municipality.

Solid Waste Management Center is located at Tribhuvan University premises in the Municipality where four private operators are stationed and working together as solid waste transfer station. The solid waste is segregated at the center and the organic waste is also converted to compost by one of the private companies. The WASH facility center is established at this solid waste management center.

 

Why WASH Facility Center?

Photo: WASH Facility Center established at Naya Bazaar, Ward-9 in Kirtipur Municipality, Nepal

Many public toilets have been constructed but a few may be working well and in many, we would hesitate to use it. Breaking the conventional concepts of public toilets and that too for the sanitation workers, ENPHO firmly stepped forward for establishing WASH Facility Center for the sanitation workers.

“Sanitation workers have the right to work in clean and safe environment. As they are putting their lives into risks to make our home and city clean, it becomes our equal responsibility to support them with access to adequate sanitation facilities. For this, we initiated this dream project- a dream to turn into reality and demonstrate all that change is possible,” Senior Program Manager at ENPHO Mr. Prashanna Man Pradhan says.

Photo: Mayor of Kirtipur Municipality Mr. Ramesh Maharjan inaugurating the WASH Facility Center

Why This WASH Facility Center is Unique?

• First of all, the location where the center is situated is itself unique as four private companies are working together for the municipal solid waste management.
  • The WASH Facility Center is a complete package of the facilities in contrary to the traditional facility. Spread in 710 sq.ft., the center includes separate toilet and bathing units for male and female, handwashing basin, laundry with washing machines, individual lockers, RO water filter, 1000 liter water tank, 5000 liter reserve tank, dug well, and pump facilities. The architecture and interior design in the facility makes it attractive, clean and unique.
  • The other crucial factor for making the center unique is that this is for the ‘Sanitation Workers’ to maintain their hygiene to attain healthy lives. While the issues of sanitation workers are often neglected and not considered at all, this WASH facility center is the initiative to fulfill their rights- the rights to live in healthy, hygienic and safe environment.
  • As the center is in the premises of Tribhubhan University and nearby the bus-park, soon it can attract the students and people, making a good source of income for the center operators.
  • The WASH facility center adopts all modern technologies to provide prompt and easy services to the users.
  • A dug well has been constructed for the supply of water to supplement the rainwater harvesting system that collects rainwater at the center.
  • The landscape of the center has been maintained with fence, gardening and benches for those who wishes to take a rest.

Challenges:

The project needed to be completed in 2020 when the Nepal Government imposed lockdown across the nation. On one hand, the pandemic and risks of COVID-19 existed, and on the other hand, many people also suggested the project to be ‘impossible’, ‘unnecessary’ or simply ‘No’. People also had objections on the land, which was first identified for the center.

‘Despite of having many challenges and negative opinions on constructing the WASH Facility Center for the sanitation workers, we opted to go for constructing it. We believed where there is will, there is a way. We put our best effort to turn every impossibilities to possibilities and bring that long awaited smiles and joys amongst the sanitation workers,” Mr. Prashanna Man Pradhan says.

Key Achievements

ENPHO constructed the WASH Facility Center with the financial support of BORDA and close collaboration with Kirtipur Municipality. The entire center with all the facilities was constructed in 45 days and benefits 45 sanitation workers at present. ENPHO handed over the WASH Facility Center to Kirtipur Municipality amid a handover program on 23 March 2021.

Way Forward

Now, the proper and smooth operation and maintenance of the center lies ahead for which the Municipality has taken the responsibility and will soon be assigning a dedicated operator for it. Furthermore, ENPHO has developed a business plan to ensure the sustainability of the center and will be handed over to the Municipality.

Special Acknowledgement:

-Mr. Prashanna Man Pradhan, Senior Program Manager, ENPHO