MaximsNewsNetwork: SRI LANKA: WATER & SANITATION DEVELOPMENT (WORLD BANK)

MaximsNewsNetwork: December 26, 2009 - World Bank: Sri Lanka - Nearly half of Sri Lanka's rural population has no access to water and sanitation, making them highly vulnerable to waterborne diseases. The Sri Lankan government is aiming to solve this problem by 2010 with help from the World Bank.

Women like Kamala used to spend three hours getting water from a stream one and a half kilometers from her home.
Kamala made the trip six times a day to the stream.

But now with water in the house, life is not only easier, but Kamala has time to run her own business tripling the money she made as a government officer.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Kamala Wickramasinghe, villager:
I am successfully doing animal husbandry. I started with 2 head of cattle, now I have four, then I started growing vegetables for domestic use, also fruits. The last six months cycle, I made about thirty thousand rupees on the harvest, there were oranges and guava, vegetables as well. I sold the vegetables here at the shop and made money. I was able to do all this because now we have got water.

Meanwhile for Kumudu, neglecting hygiene was acceptable if it meant water was used sparingly.
But that was before she became involved with the activities behind the water and sanitation program.

Not only does she get access to water, now Kumudus awareness about sanitation has increased.
Equally important, she has a voice in the project.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Kumudu sudarshani, villager:
During the project, people were given a chance to speak and express themselves to speak in front of a gathering. People who have been very quiet were given a chance to speak and now a lot of people in our village have the ability to go and talk even in public.

The water and sanitation program has so far provided water to 50,000 households and built 30,000 sanitary latrines.

It has seen as so successful; Sri Lankans working on the projects believe it should be implemented nationwide.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) C.K.B Senaratne, project engineer, rural water supply project and sanitation unit, Central Province:
Actually if this is success, it will be helpful for community based organizations or beneficiaries. Because, they can get their services from local institutions. So if we can implement this project like this through these institutions definitely it will be a benefit for beneficiaries.

With the governments effort supported by the World Banks commitment to the program, water and sanitation in 800 Sri Lankan villages are set to be improved. ................................................................................­................................................................................­................................................................................­..................................... ( THE WORLD BANK ) ................................................................................­................................................................................­................................................................ MaximsNewsNetwork:
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• development
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• disease
• hygiene
• sanitary latrines
• C K B Senaratne
• poverty
• rural