Rural Water

Images and Content Courtesy: Changemakers.net

Ashoka is a global non-profit network and support system for social entrepreneurs—people who devise innovative solutions to the social problems that plague society. To further this goal, two theme-based competitions, have been announced! The first is to encourage innovations across the entire agriculture chain. The other competition seeks to identify success stories in the field of geotourism.

"Cultivating Innovation: Solutions for Rural Communities" Entry Deadline: May 13, 2009.

Prizes: a) Three top winners get $5,000 each; b) Early Bird Prize: If you enter by April 13, 2009, you could win a cell phone and digital camera (equal value of USD $1000); c) Nominator Prize: If you nominate people/organizations who could enter the competition, you stand to win a special prize!

"The Geotourism Challenge: Power of Place." Entry Deadline: May 20, 2009. Prizes: Three top winners get $5,000 each.

For the total of 6-lakh households in Thrissur district, there are a total number of 4.5 lakh open/dug wells. As per the 2001 census, 71% of the total population of the district depends on open wells for drinking. Estimates indicate that the aggregate household investment in open wells comes to about Rs. 1,800 crores and the wells have a combined capacity to yield 6.6 million m3 per day. Though the average annual rainfall of the district is about 3,000 mm, about 70% of these wells are non-perennial. Additionally, because of heavy surface run-off, groundwater levels in several blocks have fallen sharply, and coupled with saline intrusion at an accelerated pace, have led to water quality problems. In order to address the issues of quantity, quality and sustainability, the Thrissur district administration in collaboration with the PRIs have launched a process driven, participatory well re-charge programme called Mazhapolima, with an overall goal to improve the health and welfare of communities through improved access to drinking water.

Safe Water Network , a not-for-profit dedicated to the development of reliable, sustainable, and scalable water solutions for the world's poor , announced today a partnership with India-based organizations Bhoruka Charitable Trust, the Centre for microFinance, and the Institute of Health Management Research for a rainwater harvesting optimization program in the state of Rajasthan, India. This 18-month initiative expands on a recently completed program that delivered rainwater harvesting systems to 15 villages in the Churu District of Rajasthan. The program supports the development and validation of improvements in three areas: cistern design, water quality, and funding tools. The program also includes the completion of a white paper, which will make policy recommendations specific to Rajasthan. Learnings from the initiative will be shared with others who are working around the world to help the nearly one billion people living in areas of acute water scarcity.

At the 5th World Water Forum,  Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), was awarded the coveted Kyoto World Water Grand Prize at a glittering closing ceremony to mark the closure of the Forum on World Water Day (March 22) at Istanbul, Turkey. The award was presented to Dr Marcella D'Souza, Executive Director of WOTR in recognition of the outstanding contribution made towards organising rural communities for watershed development and rain water harvesting in an inclusive, equitable, sustainable and gender sensitive manner.

Forwarded to the Portal by: Poulomee Ghosh, Third Sector Partners

Third Sector Partners, a leading CxO and board search firm in the Not for Profit sector has been retained by IRRAD to recruit a COO. OVERVIEW Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), based in Gurgaon, Haryana, is an initiative of the S.M. Sehgal Foundation, registered as a Trust in India since 1999 to further the well-being of rural communities in India. IRRAD's mission is to implement Integrated Sustainable Village Development (ISVD) in select village clusters, build capacity in rural development, undertake rural research, improve village governance, and serve as a premier knowledge institution for rural development and poverty reduction in India.

WaterAid is a leading independent organisation which enables the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Since its foundation in 1968, the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better support poor men, women and children in developing countries to obtain water and sanitation services they will use and maintain The Source Water and Sanitation News Service from IRC provides news in English, French and Spanish with an emphasis on rural and peri-urban areas in developing countries. The current Source South Asia Water & Sanitation News edition has a wide range of articles. Some highlights are: Asia: Unilever to replicate Project Shakti on other international markets - http://www.irc.nl/page/46761 Afghanistan: OCHA Humanitarian Action Plan's Appeal for water and sanitation - http://www.irc.nl/page/46636

The following article is the latest update of an overview of Kosi floods by SSVK. It reveals the ineffective handling and inadequate supply of materials by the Government in the flood hit regions. It also points out the activities done by various organizations and SSVK itself.

Following is the summary of an interview of Anshu after he along with his team did their part in the rehabilitation processes. The summary narrates Anshu's experiences and evaluations on Bihar flood.

The document can be downloaded as a PDF here (Hindi): Kosi rehabilitation policy document

Kosi disaster: The rehabilitation & reconstruction policy