With reference to the UN-International Year of Sanitation 2008, BORDA director Stefan Reuter introduced the audience to the facilitation of “Basic Needs Services” (BNS) showcasing the Rajendra Nagar community sanitation centre for 1000 slum dwellers in the Indian City of Kolhapur, Maharashtra State. Supported by video media he explained the process of organizing people’s participation during all steps from the first needs assessment, the construction including a decentralized wastewater treatment solution (DEWATS) to daily operation and maintenance in a multi-stakeholder framework.
Following the Indian case study, Stefan informed about ongoing work in Africa. While Bremen supported a sanitation workshop in Lesotho in 2007 involving sanitation experts from six neighbouring countries, 2008’s support goes to a DEWATS pilot plant in Bremen’s partner City eThekwini/Durban. In order to boost basic needs services in Africa, BORDA is tapping on best practices in Asia facilitating mutual exchange and know-how transfer.
At the end of the presentation and after a lively question and answer session, the head of the commission, Mr. Joerg Kastendiek, finished with a word of thanks recognizing BORDA’s high efficiency in reaching the local people and helping to improve their quality of life. His colleague, Ms. Ulrike Hiller especially appreciated that the Basic Needs Services are developed in close participation of local people.
The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is supporting and monitoring BORDA’s endeavour for poverty alleviation through access to vital resources with renewable energies and peoples participation since 1977. In 2008, three projects are supported in the field of Basic Needs Services and networking in Asia and Southern Africa with approximately 80,000 Euro.
We are happy about this long standing partnership and continued endorsement and would like to share this with all our partner organisations. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everybody having helped in turning this partnership into a success story. Finally, we take the recognition also as an encouragement to strengthen our efforts and compassion for future challenges.
Sven Meyer, BORDA Germany
