Scaling City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) is a primary agenda of government to achieve safely managed sanitation services in cities. During September 18-20, 2022, at the ITN-BUET Seminar Room, ITN-BUET in association with Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB) and CWIS-FSM Support Cell (CFSC), DPHE organized a three-day long specialized training course on CWIS for the participants from six municipalities (Manirampur, Tarabo, Bera, Birganj, Shibganj, and Lakshmipur Paurashavas). Twenty-four participants including two female officials, one panel mayor and three representatives from MAB, SNV and WSUP attended the training event.
The training event was inaugurated by Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, and Director of ITN-BUET. In addition to him, the resource persons included Master Trainers from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), University of Asia Pacific (UAP) and ITN-BUET. Moreover, sector experts from INGOs, e.g., WaterAid Bangladesh, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and Practical Action, shared their experiences in implementing the CWIS approach in Bangladesh.
This specialized training course on CWIS was designed as an in-depth dissemination on CWIS Principles and Frameworks for sanitation service delivery. In this process, the participants were oriented on equity, safety and sustainability related to sanitation and city mandated functions like responsibility, accountability, and resource planning and management. During every training session, several open discussion and question-answer platforms acted as a learning hub through learning-sharing of the participants’ experiences. The questions and queries made by the participants were addressed by the resource persons as well as by the other participants. The training was delivered in a blended theoretical and participants activity mode. In between sessions, there were additional experience sharing sessions by the sector partners and connecting sessions on relevant technologies, tools and laws/rules/regulations.
In the last session, the participants identified the necessary actions for their cities following CWIS principles and NAP targets through an interactive group work. Each city group then made presentation on the CWIS and NAP implementing action items.
In the closing session, Mr. Raisul Islam, Panel Mayor of Bera Paurashava, said that the training was essential for them to implement CWIS and FSM at Bera Paurashava, where the FSM activities have been initiated recently. He also requested to include more Paurashava officials and Councilors in such training programs. The senior city officials from each Paurashava also made commitments to carry out sanitation and FSM activities following CWIS in their cities. The participants recommended for extension of the training duration and inclusion of field trips to mentor cities for better understanding.
Certificates were awarded to the participants in the closing session by the designated guests and ITN-BUET Director. Mr. Porimal Kumar Dev, CEO of MAB, thanked the participants and said that MAB and ITN-BUET have been working jointly to train all the municipalities on CWIS framework to ensure better FSM service delivery. Ms. Neelima Thota, Sr. Adviser of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), emphasized on implementing the training at the grass-root level through the collective efforts of ITN-BUET, DPHE & MAB. She also recognized the importance of including more women participation in these kind of training events. Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager of ITN-BUET, applauded the participants for their active involvement during the training and stressed on taking the initiative forward. The training session was concluded with a vote of thanks from Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed.
