By Fanny Naville | Project Officer
Der Donors,
Thanks to your generous donations we have been able to finalise our project for providing water filters to the victims of the last landslides in Badakhshan.
The families in need have been provided the means for accessing clean drinking water and will be able to fully benefit of your generosity. Please find below the extensive report of the water filter distribution in Badakhshan as well as an detailed description of the impact of the project.
Context
On 2 May, a series of heavy rain induced landslides struck in the Argo district of Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan, causing significant loss of life and widespread damage to homes and agriculture. Around 1,000 families are thought to have been affected, and officials declared that nearly 2,500 people were killed, many injured and many missing persons. Some 300 houses were destroyed.
The population of this area was in urgent need of food, water and temporary shelter.
In order to help these people, BDN Global launched a project to provide water filters to families who lost their homes and access to drinking water. With the lack of resources for rapid reconstruction of infrastructure, the population of this region is confronted with diseases caused by the presence of micro-organisms in the water.
The goal being to gather funds to cover the cost of purchasing and transporting water filters. Members of BDN Global team in Geneva and Afghanistan would bring the necessary monitoring assistance and field support.
Fundraising
In order to fund this initiative, BDN Global urgently launched a fundraising campaign approaching various donors and using the GlobalGiving crowdfunding platform.
Through this campaign BDN Global have been able to raise 7 189 USD. This amount allowed to cover the cost of purchasing 110 water filters as well as their transportation and delivery to the landslide victims in Badkhshan.
Water filters
In order to find water filters the most appropriate to this relief situation and to Badkhshan context BDN Global approached various humanitarian assistance specialists with expertise in water treatment including UNICEF supply division, Water4life, Envirogard, Pureeasy.
Based on the experts feedback and the specificities of Badakhshan landslide victims, it appeared that the most suitable type of water filters are gravity water filters.
Indeed Badakhshan is a rural and remote area and the landslide victims had their households destroyed which lead to no electricity neither tape water available.
The gravity water filters do not require electricity neither tap, their installation and use is very simple and close to the current habits of the persons living in this rural area.
Transportation challenge
An important challenge faced by BDN Global was the transportation and delivery of the water filters.
BDN Global approached various potential providers and raised several partnerships in order to obtain the best delivery option as well as the most costeffective solution.
One main point being to deliver the filters before winter as snowfalls in Badakhshan could lead to blockading the roads until the next spring.
Several international companies involved in procurement and distribution of water filters were approached to seek their support with the transportation of the waterfilters.
The main challenge faced was the high transportation cost and extensive transportation delay.
In order to ensure the delivery of the filter before the winter and to avoid long, complicated and expensive delivery option BDN Global opted for partnership with an Afghan company having sufficient gravity water filters already available on site in Kabul.
This provider had suitable water filters available corresponding to international standards with competitive price (40$ per unit). These are gravity water filter made in China by Lucsor company and allow to cover the daily drinking water needs of a family.
Moreover this provider could ensure assistance for delivery, installation and following up support if required.
Delivery
Once the provider and transportation issue solved the delivery steps went straightforward and the filters have been rapidly transported to Badhakshan province.
Local BDN staff took in charge the transportation from Kabul to Badhakshan.
In Badhakshan BDN Global raised a partnership with Afghanaid an NGO very active in this area and which supported us efficiently in the delivery process.
First a survey has been realised allowing to create a list of 110 vulnerable families in Ab-e Barik village including:
1) Number of persons in the family/household that will use this filter
2) Number of children (under 15) in the family/household who will use this waterfilter
This has been a difficult task as all the beneficiaries in the mentioned area wanted to receive help. However, criteria have been developed for identification of the most vulnerable families like widows, disable people, with close coordination of local authorities. Please find in annex the list of families where the water filters have been distributed.
Distribution to the most vulnerable families in Abe Barik village in Argo district of Badakhshan province
On the 24th of November BDN Global local member and Afghanaid team had meeting with the district governor, and informed him regarding the Water filter distribution in Abe Barik and Qaladara villages.
The district governor accepted the plan and sighed/stamped the List of distribution and he also introduced Mr. Muhamad shakeer from Agriculture Department as a representative from the government.
After the meeting with the district governor Afghanaid team including Eng. Ziau Rahman, Ghulam Hazrat (District Programme Coordinator) and Dr Rahmani from BDN started the Filter Distribution to the beneficiaries.
95 water filters have been distributed for 95 Families in Abe Barik and 15 water filters for 15 families in Qaladara village according to the list of the initial survey without any conflict nor problem.
Totally 110 Filters for 110 Families in the three villages have been distributed.
The total direct beneficiaries are 110 families representing a total of 747 persons including 475 children under 15.
Budget
Water filters : 4 400 USD
Transportation : 600 USD
Local staff salaries : 560 USD
Bank charges : 50 USD
Project management : 1 579 USD
Total : 7 189 USD
Conclusion
Thanks to your generous donations we have been able to finalise our project for providing water filters to the victims of the last landslides in Badakhshan.
Number of direct beneficiaries: 110 families (representing a total of 747 persons including 475 children under 15).
The families in need have been provided the means to access clean drinking water and will be able to fully benefit of your generosity.
We thank you one more time for your loyalty and hope to keep our partnership alive!
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