CAAW

WECF Helps the Fergana Valley

The Central-Asian Alliance Public Association for Water in cooperation with the Mehr-Shavkat Public Fund in 2008 began the implementation of the new project to improve living standards of rural population by introducing new technologies of eco-sanitation concept to agriculture in 5 target villages (Birlik, Pahta-Aral, Navrul, Jany-Aravan and Mangyt) of Aravan rayon, Osh oblast.

This project was aimed to improve living standards of rural population by introducing new technologies of eco-sanitation concept to agriculture. The interest to live in a healthy way attracts more tame attention of both specialists and local population* (*stands for the target villages in Aravan rayon). It is one of the main aims for CAAW to train people in the target villages on sanitation concept and hygiene education where diseases are caused firstly by the lifestyle and daily behavior. At current time, the healthy way of life is examined as basis prophylactics against diseases. The farmers with poor sanitation and ignorance of hygiene norms in target areas were been thoroughly trained by the CAAW and Mehr-Shavkat professional trainers and experts during the planned period, much more benefits were gained by the farmers, e.g., the reduction of infant mortality up to 80% and mortality reduction of all population are linked not only to medicine but to improvement of living conditions. Together with this the survey showed that 52% of women and children and 48% of men lead an unhealthy way of life in rural areas of the target villages.

Thus, the CAAW members did their best to obtain the positive results from the project helping local people change their hygiene behavior and organized more than 120 official trainings, workshops and practical consultations for 2533 people in the target villages. More than 10000 people of Aravan ayil okmotu were informed on eco-san concept, eco-toilets and using technology of organic fertilizers through local mass media (TV, papers and informational materials releases).

A special interest and help in decision of village problems is being insured by our donor Women of Europe for a Common Future (WECF), the Netherlands.

The Project Results:

Agriculture:
8 Farmer Groups (120 farmers) had trainings on soil preparation to sowing where they learned:
а) How to prepare soil to sowing by means of consultations.
b) What minerals and fertilizers are possible to use in preparation of soil.
• Trainings were conducted on groups funds and its efficient usage as a self help group of farmer groups, covering what savings are, what fund’s savings are, for what and how to use funds of farmer groups.
• Field consultations were given to the farmer groups according to the rules of soil irrigation and sowing process. 4 demonstrative fields are chosen with the purpose of practical examination of the farmer groups' members complying with the rules of soil plowing and further sowing depending on inoculums.

Training on Gender:
а) Woman’s role in making family budget and its usage
b) Woman’s role in family in advocacy of sanitary and hygiene standards
c) Economic inequality of rights: 48 women of the farmer groups closely become acquainted with its “existence” in the family, the society, the country and the way of its overcoming, decision making and possibilities of its exclusion.
d) Advocacy and lobbying: the memebers learned main conceps as what advocacy and lobbying are and how to implement them locally.
e)Struggle with vermin of cotton, potato and tomato: the members learned what type of chemicals to use, taking into a consideration kinds of vermin and plants.

Feedback:

Many more local farmers who had joined the workshops and practical trainings stated that the chemical fertilizers cost very expensive and the constant usage of the chemicals had a negative effect on the quality of soil and agricultural products. The use of urine and faeces as organic fertilizers significantly improved their life householding like saved extra money and helped growing better crops using ecosan toilet organic fertilizers and that, besides growing various domestic products for their own consumption, they also were able to sell them at the markets and increase their family income.

End of the first implementation year:

CAAW has ensured monitoring of all household and school Eco San toilets during the whole operation year, allowing to make corrections into their further construction and approved them. The school Eco San toilet was given to school use; the school administration in their turn undertook obligations on monitoring and control of the Eco San toilet. The school administration appointed the responsible people for cleaning, safety and toilet maintenance. The CAAW local trainers gave trainings on sanitation and hygiene and on using of urine and faeces as organic fertilizers in agriculture to the farmer groups.

Difficulties faced in the project implementation:

• The constant price rise on materials for Eco San toilet construction.
The price rise on the market and continuous jumps of exchange rates adversely affected the construction of household/school Eco San toilets, transportation and workshops, trainings and the project fellows’ payments.
• Difficulties with the approval of a general plan of School Eco San toilet construction. After the Soviet Union had collapsed, there were consequently mistakes in planning. The problem was solved by Aiyl Okmotu, the State Architecture and School Administration.