Name: Md. Altaf Mahmud
What: Union Parishad Secretary
Location: Mulgar Union Parishad, Fakirhat Upazila, Bagerhat District
Age: 48
I have been Union Parishad Secretary since 1984. In this Union for almost 21 years. That coconut tree outside was planted when I first became secretary.
The water and sanitation crisis is big here. Before all these project activities 80% of people were affected by diarrhoea to a severe level. Now it is only on occasion. Still there is much to do.
Due to additional human resources like the accountant and support from other HYSAWA staff in Khulna we can tackle this situation in a way we could not before. I like the tender processing and contract selection through the Project Implementation Committee (PIC). It is absolutely transparent. We now maintain a cash-book, ledger which we update every day for the project. Now we are able to identify problems to the degree of actual problems and solve these in a due manner.
I was involved in HYSAWA from the first day. I was part of the selection committee for project staff. We had 103 applications for 32 positions in Fakirhat, for Community Organisers and Accountants. We were looking for people with computer operation skills, people who could ride bicycles. Experience in the development sector, especially WatSan was looked at favourably. We also considered who was actually most needy for employment. All the Community Organiser positions were for female applicants only. If men were in those positions it would not work. In fact it would be worse. For women it is easier to identify with water point users, most of whom are female too. They can motivate users. In our culture it is mostly the women who are involved in food and water.
As Union Parishad Secretary I participate in all the hygiene promotion sessions. I find the time. We make it somehow. “Where there is a will there is a way” right?
The accountant has his accounts and job description defined, but we co-operate. I stay in the Union Parishad building for as long as required. Sometimes the Community Organisers work here up to eight or nine at night. I stay. I leave after they leave and make sure they are safe.
I hope to be a Union Parishad Secretary until 2018. Most probably here. I have earned the faith of the community here. They deposit money to me directly for community contributions which I then pass on to the Project Accountant.
I have most enjoyed the participatory approach in HYSAWA. They [the community] can submit a plan to us all by themselves.
In the future it will only get better. If the awareness can be increased then the situation can be improve. We need more software activities. If more backyard meetings can be conducted by more and more female community members the situation will improve.
Case study collected by Communications Officer, HYSAWA. April 2011.