Dinajpur Correspondent :
People of Baladangi village under Bharbhary Union Parishad (UP) at Khanshama upazila in Dinajpur district have created a unique example by making their village eco-friendly for their livelihood improvement.
The eco-friendly village was identified as one of the good practices by the Horizontal Learning Program (HLP) supported by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) of the World Bank and other development partner and it was replicated by many other union parishad across the country.
Baladangi is one of the backward villages under Bharbhary UP. The livelihood pattern of this village was very poor. Open defecation and absence of improve hygiene practice were very common in the village. As a result, the people of village had to suffer from many kinds of diseases including water borne diseases.
At this stage, in 2004, the villagers took a concerted effort to make their village eco-friendly. They made Village Development Committee (VDC) representing all 215 households of the village and took several programs to make their village neat and clean. Bharbhary union parishad and Plan Bangladesh provided support to plan and implement various program. With in three years intervention significant improvements in the livelihood of the villagers were made. Household members use sanitary latrine, use soap after defecation and before taking food, kept their courtyard clean, managed the kitchen waste in a specific hole and cultivate vegetable at their home.
To ensure the better health and maintain potential social indicators, neonatal and postnatal care was strengthened further, polygamy and child marriage were stopped, enrolment in school is almost cent person, there was instance of child marriage.
Children group was formed to promote environmental sanitation. The VDC helps the local School Management Committee to form Student Council. This council is working for providing support for quality education, maintaining health and hygiene, ensuring cleanliness of school premises etc. to promote environmental sanitation.
