It’s been one and a half years since I started my journey with Athena, as part of the team, managing the monitoring and learning component of CWIS (Citywide Inclusive Sanitation) interventions for Khulna City Corporation, with funding support from the Gates Foundation. Prior to joining, I was already familiar with Athena’s work in Bangladesh. Friends and colleagues in the sanitation sector warmly welcomed Athena’s increased presence in the country, particularly the establishment of a dedicated local team.
I am writing this journal to document the work we have been doing since my joining in January 2023, to share some ‘aha’ moments that we had while working.
The first city I worked with was Khulna, where Athena has been supporting Khulna City Corporation (KCC) under the CWIS MLE program. As a direct result of Athena's interventions, sanitation data was included in KCC's annual reports.
Local governing institutions are required to submit their annual reports at the end of the fiscal year to both the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and to the public. This marked a critical moment where sanitation data gained its own place in Khulna city's public discourse, and public demand for stronger regulations in fecal waste management grew. KCC became the first city to report on sanitation-related performance targets to the Local Government Division in their annual performance appraisal (APA) system. This inspired us to contextualize sanitation indicators for the country, helping cities and towns report their regular progress against SDG 6.2 to the national government.
For me, it was a great moment to see a city corporation truly demonstrate the significance of the 4th CWIS principle: 'operating with a clear, inclusive mandate, along with performance targets, resources, and accountability'.
The second town we worked in was Saidpur, where we developed their CWIS baseline assessment using the shit flow diagram and waste flow diagram. During the field study, I visited a slum colony in Saidpur Pourashava where more than 500 people from 180 households resided.
They shared 14 water closets, seven urinals, and two bathing facilities. In their efforts to ensure safe access for all, the residents followed a set routine to share the community toilets: men used the facilities in the morning, while women used them during the day. They appointed 16 residents to form a committee that oversees maintenance of the facilities and updates the bookkeeping. The fees collected from the residents, 30 BDT per household per month, go towards paying for a cleaner who keeps the facilities well maintained, covering any regular repairs necessary, and emptying the septic tanks. The facilities are regularly upgraded and expanded based on residents' needs, with the pourashava's technical support and donor funding.
The pourashava is highly active in channeling support to its poorest communities, based on the 1st CWIS principle: 'Everyone in an urban area, including the urban poor, benefits from equitable, safe sanitation services'.
The third town we worked in was the green and scenic Lalmonirhat. I observed that residents here enjoy the harmony of integrating greenery into concrete structures, and Lalmonirhat Pourashava is very active in improving the town's public health. All drains are covered to prevent rubbish from polluting the wastewater. The municipality ensures that no waste is dumped irresponsibly; every morning, the roads are swept, and community bins are cleared. All waste produced in the city is collected regularly, transported, and disposed of at treatment sites.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the mayor making impromptu, unannounced visits, which were well-appreciated for his efforts to strengthen the 7th CWIS principle: 'Political will and accountability systems incentivize service improvements in planning, capacity, and leadership'.
The municipality I have personally most enjoyed interacting with is Lakshmipur Pourashava. The entrepreneurial zest that the mayor and his team bring forward is unique to experience within local governing institutions. It's no wonder that Lakshmipur is the only town that has viably maintained their FSM operations since 2014. Lakshmipur will also be the first city to release its strategic sanitation service plan for 2024, with technical support from Athena. It is refreshing to see the authorities' inclination to innovate and their responsiveness to public needs reflected in the development of their service plan.
Lakshmipur embodies the 6th CWIS principle: 'Comprehensive long-term planning fosters demand for innovation and is informed by analysis of needs and resources.'
Sakhipur is a quaint little town in Tangail district, located within protected forests. However, I was amazed to see that when it comes to sanitation governance, the town is an achiever. The mayor received international recognition for his commitment to safely managing the city's fecal and solid waste. He won the Asia Pacific Sanitation Excellence Award at the UCLG ASPAC Congress held in Yiwu, China.
It seems Sakhipur Pourashava, even with its limited resources, is well on its way to fulfilling SDG 6.2 obligations before any other town. They have one desludging vehicle, and their FSTP is operating at a utilization rate of 75%. They were the first to receive an environmental clearance certificate for compost production. Their 'Sakhi' compost is marketed with the support of the Upazila Agriculture officer and landscape farmers.
Sakhipur municipality diligently stresses delivering improved sanitation services and champions the 3rd CWIS principle: 'Human waste is safely managed along the sanitation service value chain'.
Teknaf Pourashava inspired me with its innovative approach to waste management. The town partnered with eight private enterprises, including one run by an 18-year-old female student, pursuing her higher secondary exam. Despite her age and ongoing studies, the pourashava allocated her Ward 8 to serve over 240 households. With three staff and two tricycles, her enterprise achieved the highest revenue and profit among the eight after a year. She negotiates favorable fees from larger institutions while subsidizing services for poorer communities. Working with the female councilor, she conducts awareness campaigns and trains her workers.
Teknaf municipality exemplifies the 2nd CWIS principle: 'Gender and social equity are designed into planning, management, and monitoring'.
The seventh location we've visited is Paikgacha Upazila. Athena is conducting a costing assessment for universal access to basic and safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene services across Paikgacha pourashava and its ten unions. Despite facing regular climate-related disasters, local authorities consistently work to improve WASH services.
A notable example is the management of a new public toilet in the pourashava market. The opportunity to manage this facility was given to a person with a speech disability. This young operator, trained in operations and maintenance, bravely uses hand gestures to attract users. Patrons report that the toilet remains open on holidays, is always clean, and the operator never overcharges. The operator's passion, bravery, flexibility, strong work ethic, and integrity are commendable.
Upon completion of the assessment, Paikgacha Upazila will be the first district to demonstrate the 5th CWIS principle: 'Authorities deploy a range of funding, business, and hardware approaches – sewered and non-sewered – to meet goals.'
"As an organization, Athena has always provided me with flexibility and support, through which I have grown both intellectually and professionally. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with the best team, each member uniquely excelling in their field. We have created great synergies, working together with our combined efforts," shares Sonia Shahid, Senior Consultant, Governance and Service Delivery.
Stay tuned for more updates on the exciting work Athena will produce in the coming months.
