The Bangladesh Rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Human Capital Development (BD Rural WASH for HCD) project, implemented jointly by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), aims to improve access to safely managed water supply and sanitation while strengthening institutional capacity in these sectors. Supported by the International Development Association (IDA), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the project seeks to enhance the living conditions of rural communities through targeted interventions.

Key components include extending household loans for water and sanitation improvements, developing the water and sanitation market by training local entrepreneurs (LEs), and conducting behavioral change communication (BCC) campaigns. By the end of the project, it is anticipated that 60,000 households will upgrade their water facilities, 500,000 households will install improved sanitation systems, and 150 women LEs will promote menstrual hygiene products. These efforts will contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6.1 and 6.2 in selected rural areas.

The project covers 78 upazilas across 18 districts and directly benefits approximately 9,500 PO staff, 2,170 new LEs, and 300 previously trained LEs. It leverages training, capacity building, and market-driven solutions to create a sustainable WASH infrastructure.

 Objective of the TA consultancy  

The general objective of the TA consultancy is to support the capacity building of PO field staff

And local entrepreneurs (LEs), support market promotion including ensuring the quality of

Construction and BCC campaign. The consultancy service includes:

• -To develop the capacity of field staff of POs who will work with PKSF under the project.
• -To support POs for selecting local entrepreneurs who will work in the project for water and sanitation facility improvement at household level.
• -To develop training manuals for LEs on safely managed water and sanitation and build their capacity to engage them in the construction of project designed water, sanitation and hygiene facility improvement.
• -To develop capacity building manuals for women les and build their skill to promote sanitary napkin at project areas.
• -To develop orientation guidelines for the old LEs (trained from different previous projects) and organize orientation for them.
• -To provide follow-up support to the trained LEs for quality construction and GPS based monitoring during field level implementation.
• -To develop a facilitator’s guideline for the PO staff for using BCC materials towards hygiene behavior changes among the credit groups and support POs in implementation of the BCC campaigns.

 Key Highlights of the Assignment

DM WATCH LIMITED, as part of a joint venture with e.Gen Consultants Ltd. and Unnayan Shahojogy Team (UST), delivered technical assistance for the project through the following key activities:

Inception Phase

• -Conducted in-depth consultations with PKSF, DPHE, and other stakeholders to finalize project objectives, scope, and methodology.
• -Reviewed relevant project documents, policies, and WASH guidelines to align activities with SDG targets.
• -Developed and finalized an inception report with a comprehensive action plan, including Gantt charts and detailed team mobilization strategies.

Development of Training Materials

• -Created detailed training manuals for LEs on water facility improvement, sanitation technology, and sanitary napkin promotion, incorporating project design and World Bank standards.
• -Prepared facilitation guidelines for PO staff to conduct BCC sessions focusing on safe water, sanitation, handwashing, menstrual hygiene, and baby WASH.
• -Prepared training manual on sanitary napkin promotion for women LEs

Capacity Building and Training

• -Conducted day-long orientation courses for approximately 9,500 PO staff across 236 batches at the upazila level.
• -Delivered two-day and three-day residential training for 500 LEs (water facility improvement) and 1,700 LEs (sanitation technology), respectively.
• -Trained 300 old LEs on need-basis.
• -Trained 150 women LEs on sanitary napkin promotion, focusing on marketing and household-level outreach.

Implementation Support

• -Assisted POs in selecting qualified LEs using a structured and transparent process based on defined criteria.
• -Provided field support for quality assurance during the installation of water and sanitation facilities and the promotion of sanitary napkins.
• -Supported the GPS-based monitoring of household facilities to ensure compliance with SDG quality standards.

Behavioral Change Communication Campaign

• -Supported POs in delivering BCC campaigns to raise awareness and promote behavioral change among rural communities.
• -Ensured that field officers conducted hygiene promotion sessions for credit groups and families, maintaining attendance records and session photos.

Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting

• -Facilitated GPS-based monitoring and verification of installed facilities to maintain quality standards.
• -Prepared quarterly progress reports, including detailed financial management records.
• -Delivered a comprehensive final report summarizing project achievements and lessons learned.

Key Deliverables

• -Detailed inception report, training manuals, and facilitation guidelines.
• -Capacity building for 2,170 LEs and 9,500 PO staff.
• -Reports on LE selection, training outcomes, and BCC session implementation.
• -Final project completion report submitted to PKSF.

This assignment demonstrated DM WATCH LIMITED’s expertise in WASH project implementation, capacity building, and alignment with global standards for water and sanitation services.