Bangladesh
Rainwater Harvesting | Denmark Denmark to help with rainwater harvesting project in Mongla
Dhaka, January 28: BRAC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Denmark to implement a rainwater harvesting project in Mongla upazila of climate-risky Bagerhat. The memorandum was signed at the residence of the Danish Ambassador in the capital Dhaka on Thursday (January 27).
The project titled 'Enhancing Safe Drinking Water Security and Climate Resilience through Rainwater Harvesting' will run from January 2022 to December 2024. The three-year project will be implemented in six unions of Mongla. The total budget of the project is 29 million Danish kroner, which will be provided by the Danish Embassy in Bangladesh. In Bangladeshi currency it is Tk 37.69 crore.
Mongla is one of the most climate-risky areas in Bangladesh due to the alarming spread of salinity. More than 60 percent of its residents do not have access to safe drinking water. At the same time, their condition is critical in terms of health and income. Women and girls are also discriminated against due to the extra stress of domestic work and social insecurity.
At the signing ceremony, the Ambassador of Denmark to Bangladesh, Winnie Estrup Petersen, said, By 2023, Denmark will provide at least USD 500 million annually in global grant-based climate finance. She said, "Bangladesh is one of the most climate risk prone countries in the world and of course we should benefit from our strong climate commitment. This partnership marks the beginning of a number of Danish commitments for climate change and mitigation programs for Bangladesh from 2022 onwards."
It is learned that the aim of this project is to improve the condition of the most climate-vulnerable people of the upazila by creating a source of safe water near them. This is a solution that can be adopted in similar areas.
In line with the Danish government's development strategy- 'The World We Share'- the project will expand the initiative to conserve rainwater on a small scale in Mongla. It will facilitate the livelihood of the people by following a locally led approach, coordinating with the government and other non-governmental organizations.
