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Table of Contents

 Project @ a glance 03

 Background of project 04

 Challenge definition 04

 Project Context 04

 Implementation Methodology 06

 Overall objective achieved 07

 Specific Objectives Achieved 07

 Output 08

 Monitoring & Evaluation 08

 Sustainability 08

 Snaps of project activities 09

 Media coverage 10

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Project @ A Glance:

Project Solar powered water supply scheme through pipe line @ Borli Bheel Thar

Duration October – December, 2017

Location Borli Bheel, Union Council Jorrouo Tehsil Mithi District Tharparkar

Beneficiaries 745 persons

Indirect
Beneficiaries – 412 animal heads
Animals

Funded by: Danish Muslim Aid (DMAID) https://dmaid.dk

Jointly
Implemented Karwan Development Foundation KDF Islamabad & WWW.karwan.pk
by:

Rural Development Association –RDA Tharparkar

Contacts www.rda.org.pk
info@rda.org.pk
https://www.facebook.com/RuralDevelopmentAssociation/

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Project Background:
Rural Development Association –RDA with the support from Karwan Development Foundation
proposed to provide safe drinking water through alternative energy in order to improve health
and hygiene of villagers of Borli Bheel, Union Council Jorrouo, Taluka Mithi, and District
Tharparkar. The project was based on; installing one solar powered water pump. Total
populations of beneficiaries are 745 souls covering 92 households. This is a one of model
projects, which directly benefits women and children. 412 animals also are also watered from
facility developed with the support of Danish Muslin Aid (DM AID) & Karwan Development
Foundation -KDF Islamabad.

The major purpose was to make easier for villagers to get water because it is difficult practice of
dragging out water from depth of 250 feet. As water is deep in area and underground water is
difficult to drag out from dug wells compels inhabitants to use less water and resulting hygiene
issues affects health and living standards. Mostly children and women had to bear the brunt of
the situation. Children had to look after animals, which are used for hauling water bucket from
dug wells and women had to fetch water in pitchers, carrying on head to home. While fetching
water pregnant women problems were compounded; sometime miscarriage cases also take
place. Moreover, the open dug wells are at risk of getting contaminated by external particles,
which harm health.

Challenges Definition:
An inadequate water and sanitation services to the people of Thar desert has detrimental effect
on their living conditions, income earning potential, overall well-being, and increase their
vulnerability to all kinds of water borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, shigella, meningitis,
and hepatitis A and E.

The people of Thar Desert have been grappling with issue of inadequate safe drinking water for
themselves and their livestock for last many decades. Plus, sanitation services are very poor.

Deep underground water and difficult practice of dragging out from dug wells compels
inhabitants to use less water and resulting hygiene issues affects health and living standards.
Mostly children and women have to bear the brunt of the situation. Children have to look after
animals which are used for hauling water bucket from dug wells and women have to fetch
water in pitchers, carrying on head, to home. While fetching water pregnant women are at
more risk because sometime miscarriage cases also take place. Moreover, the open dug wells
are at risk of getting contaminated by external particles which are harmful to health.

Project Context:
Thar comprises 23,000 square kilometers with a population of more than 1.4 million soles and
about 6 million livestock heads, it entirely depends upon rainfall and that is annually recorded
09 to 350 millimeter. After every third year it experiences a severe drought for year and one
famine in a decade. It is a hostile wasteland of sandy desert and barren rocks which receives
erratic rainfall. Thar receives rains in monsoon season; July to September and for rest of
time/round the year underground water is main source of drinking water.

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Central role of water in providing food, livelihoods, health, education and basic water and
sanitation amenities is well realized by the world but despite the fact we are living in 21st
century Thar Desert still faces water scarcity & quality and that is found main root cause of
migration, malnutrition and vulnerability to other socioeconomic problems.

As water is acknowledged as human right the entire situation calls for some quick intervention
to address this chronic and historical issue of water shortage for the people living in Thar.

Thar region generally lacks network of roads, electricity, effective health and other institutions,
infrastructure, water and sanitation. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation are the
biggest challenges amongst them being faced by the people of Thar Desert. Fetching water
from dug wells on daily basis is a drain on the inhabitants’ population’s energy, time and health.

The framework that this project intends to employ will address the issues of health and
hygiene, education, women empowerment and economic well-being.

Project Implementation Methodology:

Formal Agreements:
Rural Development Association -RDA Team held series of consultations and meetings with
community in order to create ownership of the project from the beginning. A Terms of
Partnership (ToP) has been signed with community organization.

Developed a Model and Environment Friendly Project under Participatory Approach:

Solar PV system operated pump drags out underground water from depth of 240 feet. Water is
stored in overhead water tank for further distribution through pipelines to each household. To
promote water conservation and revenue generation for maintenance cost of the installation,
15 paisa per liter is fixed by CO as a user fee and CO collects that. In this connection, water
meters are is installed.

Project Visibility:
The inception was organized by RDA Team and also shared the project updates time to time on
FB/social media with clear visibility of donors. Signboards (two steel plates and two Panaflex on
water tank are fixed permanently mentioning the details of project.

Flicker link,
https://www.facebook.com/rda.thar.3/media_set?set=a.166294007312795.1073741930.10001
7965895758&type=3&pnref=story

Procurement:
Rural development Association -RDA procurement policy was followed and major procurement
was done through RDA procurement policy and procedures.

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Solar pump specification:
Solar Panel
Model GH Solar
Maximum Peak Output per Panel 250 Watts
Maximum Open Voltage per Panel 20V
No. of Panels 10
Total Capacity of Power
Generation 2,500
Current Rating per Panel 7.5 Amp
Controller/Inverter
Model INVT
Output Power 5 kW
Output Voltage 380V - 400V (3 phase)
Frequency 50 Hz
Pump
Pump Type Submersible
Operating Voltage 380V - 400V (3 phase)
Operating Frequency 50 Hz
Pressure 2 HP

Capacity Building:
Awareness sessions were organized for women, children and elder male members of
community by highlighting the importance of health & hygiene in relation to safe water. An
operator has been selected for maintenance and operation of solar pump system with
consultation of community. Operator has been trained on operation of system and billing
procedure etc. At community level, Water User Committees (WUC) comprised over three
members has been formed and that is be sensitized on water conservation and importance of
WASH while linking it with health.

Overall objective achieved:

Improved water and sanitation services in one community village Borli Bheel Union Council
Jorrouo, Tehsil Mithi, District Tharparkar, Sindh

Specific Objectives Achieved:

 Provided drinking water for 745 persons including children/students

 Watering facility for 412 animal heads developed

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 Promoted participatory development approach by engaging community to increase the
access of the people in Borli Bheel Union Council Jorrouo to safe drinking water through
installation of one solar powered water pump.

 Improved health and hygiene of the people by providing safe drinking water and raising
awareness among them

 Reduced absenteeism and drop-out ratio among school going age children through provision
of safe drinking water

 Empowered women by providing safe drinking water through alternative energy

Project Activities:

Activities are listed under each specific objective.

Objective 1:
 ToP signed with community group
 Formed a Water Users Committee in village
 Solar powered water pump installed

Objective 2:
 Provision of Water supply – piped water with gravity force
Objective 3:
 Installed of meters for water conservation and use charge fees
 Awareness raising sessions with community on health and hygiene and gender
sensitization

 Selected of operator for running solar pumps

Objective 4:
 Introduced a clause in the Terms of Partnership with community that parents will send
all those children to school who used to fetch water from dug wells.
 Conducted awareness-raising workshops on importance of education with community.

Objective 5:
 Ensured female representation in the Water User Committee
 Conducted health and hygiene sessions with female

Output:
- Formed a Water Users Committee comprised over three persons

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- One solar powered water pump installed
- 62 households are getting water supply connections with meters
- 745 people have piped water facility at home round the clock
- children have easy access to water for drinking and self-hygiene/sanitation
- One model project which benefits women and children directly
- Overall, increased awareness about health and hygiene particularly among women

Monitoring & Evaluation:

The monitoring was done by RDA Management and Monitoring Officer (as assigned) and
assured that the project is implemented with planned manner and with quality. There was no
specific project team hired, so project took time in completion. The data is properly collected
and maintained files; developed internal monitoring tools and will collected data, quantities
and qualitative. And towards the end of the project an external media personnel exposure visit
had been organized to assess impact of the project. In addition to this, an internal impact study
of the project yet to be conducted.

Sustainability:

The project had been designed after a rigorous process of consultations with community. Water
is among the RDA’s area of expertise and had experience of implementing such projects, so
community was mobilized and organized around the project and this was already agreed by
community that 15 paisa per liter is charged. Billing is done on monthly basis. Operator is from
the same community and after training he will be responsible for operating system as well
collecting user charges. Salary of operator will be fixed in consultation with community.
The saving will be deposited in VO account which will be managed by WUC and RDA but initially
amount collected is with WUC.

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