Written by: Israrullah Sahil
A healthy life is a right that belongs to everyone. The two most important factors in maintaining good health are; a clean environment and safe drinking water.
This mission has been initiated in several districts of Afghanistan by DACAAR, which also facilitates the provision of safe drinking water and a hygienic environment to reduce water-borne infections.
One of the regions in Zabul province where DACAAR recently implemented its "WASH in Community" project with funding from BHA-USAID is Kakaran. To reach its goal, DACAAR repaired and painted the water reservoir, rehabilitated 63 stand posts and two gate valve boxes, installed 280-watt solar panels, painted the boundary wall, and provided hygiene kits to each of the 220 families that attended the hygiene session. The project was completed on November 30, 2024, having begun on April 1, 2023.
The well-known inhabitant of the community, Khaliq Dad Samim, stated that residents were fetching safe drinking water from another area because access to safe drinking water in their area was problematic. He continued by saying that a contaminated atmosphere polluted the water, leading to the spread of cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio among other water-borne illnesses. The Kakaran village's environment has changed as a result of the "WASH in Community" project. The inhabitants now enjoy easy access to safe drinking water, a hygienic environment, and a healthy way of life.
“Through this project, now we have easy access to clean drinking water. We attended the hygiene sessions, which made a big difference in how clean we kept the surroundings and ourselves. These all contributed to a decrease in water-borne illnesses”. said Samim.
He conveyed the residents' sincere gratitude to DACAAR and its donor/s for carrying out the project in their area. He also proposed expanding the organization's efforts to the entire district and continuing them there.