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The health of the environment is inextricably linked to the health of the communities that rely on it. An unhealthy environment can cause illness, affect livelihoods and keep people trapped in a cycle of poverty.ÌýÌý

InÌýSohdra,ÌýWazirabad, the local communitiesÌýareÌýstruggling under theÌýburden ofÌýenvironmental instability.ÌýA lack of waste management, land damaged by floods and a reliance on unsafe waterÌýhasÌýmeant that illnesses like DiarrhoeaÌýareÌýall too common and agricultural livelihoodsÌýareÌýhard to maintain. In a survey of 100 households, 60% were found to be experiencing problems with their liver and nearly half of households were not covered by government waste collections and so they were forced to dispose of their wasteÌýontoÌýthe streets.ÌýÌý

InÌýJune 2014, MH officially launchedÌýa project to engage theÌýpeopleÌýofÌýSohdraÌýinÌýanÌýenvironmental conservation and waste managementÌýprogramme.ÌýAs with all of ourÌýprojects, we worked closely with local communities to raise awareness of environmental issues and to develop measures to tackle these.ÌýÌý

The opening ceremony wasÌýattended by a plethora of people, includingÌýgovernmentÌýofficials, community organisations and students and their teachers.ÌýOut of this came a burst of local activity. With the help of ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ staff, six community based organisations were set up.ÌýÌý

Meeting on a monthly basis, these organisations worked hard to raise awareness of environmentalÌýrights and responsibilities;Ìý10Ìýcommunity meetings were held, attended by almost three hundred people, student councils were set up over 12 different schools andÌýaÌýpolicy dialogue platformÌýwasÌýestablished between the community representatives and service providing departments in the area.Ìý

Thanks to the activism ofÌý³§´Ç³ó»å°ù²¹â€™sÌýpeople, a total of 400 trees (300 of them fruit trees) were planted all over the area, 50 waste disposal units were installed in sites that were carefully chosen by the CBO membersÌýand a clean-up of the local canal was organised.ÌýÌý

The projectÌýalsoÌýresulted inÌýtheÌýsigningÌýof anÌýagreement betweenÌýgovernment and community organisations,Ìýthat the local municipality wouldÌýcarryÌýout regular environmental services and undertake the responsibilityÌýof safe collection and disposal of solid waste.Ìý

Not only has the programme resulted in practical measures being taken to combat the problems that the people ofÌýSohdraÌýface, but it has also empowered local communities to take ownership of their environment.ÌýCapacity building sessions with CBOs helped them to learn aboutÌýeverything from organising meetings toÌýpreparingÌýand maintainingÌýtechnical and financial records and documentationÌýand local people were given information and advice on different ways to create and maintain a clean, healthy environment.ÌýÌý

By inviting people to be involved in decision making, locals have been given a voice. This has been especially positive for marginalised groups like women.ÌýWhen the project was initiated, the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Vocational Training Centre for Girls, was approached alongside local schools to engage women in the programme’s activities. As a result of these efforts,Ìýan all-female Community Based Organisation was formed and women-only consultation meetings took place acrossÌýSohdra.Ìý

TheÌýYouth ofÌýGaziÌýColony CBOÌýare now planning to open a joint account to deposit monthly amounts to be spent on community projects and they are maintaining regular communication with senior figures of the waste disposal service.ÌýÌý

As their hard work continues to show its rewards, the people ofÌýSohdraÌýare hopeful about the future. There is still much work to be done, butÌýnow that they are mobilised, they will continue to work together to improve conditions for their communities.ÌýAs one local explains, ‘The conservation project that ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ has set up is very important to us. We must care for our environment and our environment will care for us’.Ìý