EU delivers sanitation equipment to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government

European Union (EU) delivered sanitation equipment to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for attaining improved health and hygiene to the people of the rural areas of the province. The equipment was received by Senior Minister, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, in a ceremony held in Civil Secretariat the other day. Ms Farzana Nazli, World Vision Peshawar Basin Area Manager, handed over the equipment to the minister.
This assistance was provided through the European Union funded Environment Health and Sanitation Reforms (EHSAR) project. Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, from the European Union, Ms Farzana said that the project reflected the European Union's interest in improving the lives of the people of Pakistan. "The European Union in collaboration with local partners is striving to assist the government and poor communities of Pakistan to enable the communities to lead healthier lives".
Appreciating the EU and World Vision development activities in KPK, Bashir Bilour said the project will help improve the health of the villagers and enable them to keep their surroundings clean. The minister requested the EU and World Vision to help the government deal with solid waste disposal and install solar water pumps.
Through this EU-funded project, waste management equipment worth 26,000 euros has been donated to Charsadda and Nowshera Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) through the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government and Rural Development Department. The European Union is one of the largest donors of aid to Pakistan. These project initiatives have helped usher a healthy change in the lives of the villagers. The material assistance will assist local level solid waste management in the target villages hosting some 12,000 households.
Further project activities will support the same villages and people to have access to clean water through 262 water hand pumps, currently being installed by World Vision in partnership with Pak-CDP. Ms Farzana further mentioned that World Vision Pakistan intentionally works together with the most vulnerable communities and the local government for improved child well-being. She appreciated the EU interest in funding health and hygiene programmes in Pakistan. Children's lives can be much healthier through social mobilisation, widespread health and hygiene awareness, increased access to clean drinking water, attention to keeping a clean environment and by other simple low cost interventions, she added.
This EU-funded waste management project will contribute to better environmental hygiene in the village. Through social mobilisation, the project has enthused villagers, and religious, political and traditional leaders around water sanitation and hygiene transformation.
The EU funded World Vision/Pak CDP joint collaboration project has also helped in transferring know-how and equipment for waste management to local municipal bodies and enabled communities to receive improved water and sanitation services from these providers.
As a result of training's, many previously neglected children now observe hygiene practices (hand and teeth washing, hair care, bathing, etc). They also encourage their peers, family and other villagers to adopt correct hygiene, eg, hygienic cooking, proper waste management. A village level health/hygiene movement has been initiated through "peer to peer" dynamics and 154 peer-to-peer sessions have been led by children.