Project Trishna reaches 100 schools with safe water access across Bangladesh

Project Trishna, a core programme of Footsteps Bangladesh, has recently reached Goal100 – ensuring access to safe and clean drinking water for 100 schools across Bangladesh, reads a press release.

In April 2019, Footsteps declared a commitment of reaching 100 schools with safe water access through Project Trishna, which the project has achieved amidst a global pandemic on 4 April with its latest school water system installation in Kewdala Government Primary School in Narayanganj.

Project Trishna is one of Footsteps' core development programmes which empowers communities with safe water and sanitation access.

Implemented in 2015, Project Trishna takes a unique approach in implementing safe water systems in schools, hospitals, public spaces and households and teaches communities how to maintain these systems in order to ensure the water solution sustains in the long run.

The project is supported by both local and international companies and individuals, which includes the City Bank Limited, BURO Bangladesh, Olympic Industries, United Group, etc.

In 2021, the project partnered with global celebrity singer Shawn Mendes in ensuring safe water for schools in Northeast Bangladesh.

Access to safe drinking water has been a primary social challenge in communities across Bangladesh, especially for children who are at risk of falling sick and missing classes due to drinking contaminated water.

Project Trishna is addressing this challenge by creating a unique WASH solution which ensure safe water for a school for a lifetime.

"Since our declaration of Goal100 in 2019, our team has been working tirelessly to achieve this feat over the past 4 years. We faced many hurdles in the middle, especially the Covid-19 Pandemic where schools remained closed for several months, but we are ecstatic of finally reaching this goal which would not have been possible without our partners and stakeholders," said Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, co-founder and president of Footsteps Bangladesh.

Now that Goal100 is achieved, we will now set a new target to achieve and work towards empowering everyone in Bangladesh with safe water and sanitation access, step by step, he added.

Footsteps Bangladesh has been actively working in Bangladesh's development sector since 2013 and has impacted over 400,000 people across 33 districts in Bangladesh with WASH, Climate Action, and Public Health initiatives.

Project Trishna is currently ensuring safe water for over 60,000 children in 100 schools across nine districts in Bangladesh.

The organisation received the Diana Award, AFS Prize for Young Global Citizens, Joy Bangladesh Youth Award and has been enlisted on Forbes 30 Under 30 List for its innovative work in Bangladesh's development sector.