The southwestern coastal regions of Bangladesh, especially Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat District, face acute challenges in water and health due to climate change and geographic isolation. Groundwater salinity and tidal breaches contaminate traditional water sources, leaving women and children to endure long treks for drinking water and exposing them to waterborne diseases. The region's limited access to medical services exacerbates health vulnerabilities, with frequent climate-induced disasters and poor infrastructure further straining healthcare systems. A lot of remote areas like Gabura of Shyamnagar and Bedkashi of Koyra suffer from inadequate healthcare, with issues such as malnutrition, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and gynecological conditions stemming from arduous daily activities.
In response, LEDARS implements integrated programs to alleviate water scarcity, reduce the burden on women, and deliver essential health services, ensuring smart and sustainable solutions for these pressing challenges.
LEDARS promotes sustainable water solutions such as Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants, Rainwater Harvesting Systems, excavation of drinking water ponds, and activation of inactive Pond Sand Filters (PSFs). These initiatives aim to ensure clean and affordable water for underserved communities, complemented by water education programs to raise awareness about safe water practices.
LEDARS develops sustainable water resource management systems by selecting and training entrepreneurs and institutions for water entrepreneurship. Branding of water enterprises and the introduction of innovative solutions like "Water on Wheels" (WOW) help ensure accessibility to clean water for last-mile communities.
LEDARS conducts capacity-building training for staff managing water technologies and organizes awareness programs for the community. Activities include courtyard meetings, cultural programs, leaflets distribution, and sensitization events, all designed to educate people on water purification, RO maintenance, and sustainable water use practices.
Utilizing KMC Lab facilities, LEDARS ensures the regular testing and monitoring of water quality. This intervention helps communities understand and address water safety concerns, strengthening local capacities to manage water-related challenges.
LEDARS operates free medical camps in remote Sundarban island areas, providing health cards, essential medicines, and specialized gynecological services for women. These initiatives address healthcare disparities in isolated communities, mitigating climate-induced health risks.
LEDARS combines water and health interventions by organizing community events and sensitization campaigns, emphasizing the interconnectedness of clean water and improved health outcomes. This holistic approach promotes long-term resilience against climate-induced vulnerabilities.
• Access to safe drinking water created for more than 6231 families;
• 650 disaster resilience Toilet has been distributing to the 564 families.
• 5500 Bio Sand Filter (BSF) has been installed among the 5500 families.
• 47 Pond Sand Filter (PSF) has been re-activation and 13 PSF has been installed in the
working area.
• 10 Manage Aquifer Research (MAR) established in the pilot basis.
• 144 Rainwater Harvesting System installed including 5 Community base rainwater
harvesting system.
• 4 Reverse Osmosis (RO) instilled in the area
• 1 Water on Wheel (WOW) launched and distributing water in the community.
• 1,860 Medical camp conduct for providing primary health care services among the
17,314 beneficiaries.
• 22 gynecological service camp organized 2640 women get services from the camp.
• 882 orientation sessions enabled the community people about necessary knowledge and
information regarding safe water
• 74 Technology management Committee Formed and actively managing the technologies.
• 6 advocacy activities organized where people demonstrated their demand to the policy
actors.
LEDARS (Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society) is a non-profit and non-political development organization. LEDARS has been working since 1996 in Bangladesh. Details…
