With support from Water and Sanitation Division, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT) and SNV Bhutan, women in remote Pungshi chiwog are driving improvements in water and sanitation, achieving 100 percent modern toilet access

YK Poudel

Dagana—In the idyllic Pungshi chiwog of Kana gewog, Dagana, farmers are busy harvesting paddy, continuing their traditional agrarian way of life with minimal use of modern machinery. Yet, a quiet transformation is taking place here, driven by a growing focus on water management, sanitation, and hygiene.

Kalu Ram Ghishing, a 52-year-old farmer, recalls how life has changed over the years. “Clean water has given rise to healthy living,” he said.

In the past, his family had to go outdoors to relieve themselves, but today, a modern toilet sits just outside his home, offering convenience for everyone, especially elderly in the family.

“Just a decade ago, we used to fetch water from a nearby pond that was neither clean nor convenient. These ponds were filled with tadpoles and mud,” he said. “Today, every household is connected to clean drinking water.”

He expressed gratitude to the gewog administration and other agencies for their advocacy on water management, healthy practices, and sanitation support.

Women take charge

The Water and Sanitation Division of MoIT and SNV Bhutan have played a pivotal role in supporting the village’s efforts on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Its advocacy on water management and sanitation has empowered women, in particular, to take leadership roles in these initiatives.

Thirty-five-year-old Suk Maya Bomjan, the first female water caretaker in the chiwog, is proud of her role. “I know the basics of water pipelines, fittings, and maintenance. I am happy to serve my community,” she said.

She completed her water caretaker training last year and has been serving the village since.

The training, coupled with toolkits provided by SNV Bhutan, has helped her make significant improvements in water supply systems.

“Programmes like these support and encourage women in our village. More training will help us stay updated with new technologies and better serve the community,” Suk Maya Bomjan said.

She said that water caretakers receive an annual payment of Nu 300 from every household for their service. The village has 62 households.

Lachu Man Waiba, another water caretaker trained while working alongside the Desuups during the Desuung Water Flagship Project, said that Water and Sanitation Division of MoIT  and SNV Bhutan have been advocating for water management, cleanliness, and support for senior citizens for more than two years now.

“One impactful move was the assistance and encouragement given to women in the village,” he said. “Water and Sanitation Division of MoIT and SNV Bhutan’s outreach programme has empowered women to take up leadership roles, particularly in water and sanitation.”

A community effort

Amber Bahadur Subba, the Pungshi Tshogpa, said that the initiative, which began two years ago, trained villagers on maintaining clean water systems, sanitation, and hygienic toilet practices.

Pungshi chiwog now boasts 100 percent improved sanitation with pour flush toilets. With 62 households, the chiwog is home to about 600 residents—a majority of them women.

The  previous water system in the village, installed in 2004, began to fail by 2015. There were no trained water caretakers in the chiwog then. In 2019, the Desuung Water flagship Project overhauled the system, fixing the distribution problems within two months.

“Now, with trained caretakers, the water distribution is more equitable and reliable,” Amber Bahadur Subba said.

The village has two trained caretakers—one male and one female.

Health and hygiene

The emphasis on hygiene and sanitation has been transformative. Once a community indifferent to cleanliness, Pungshi now holds regular cleanliness drives every second day of the month.

“When a woman takes the lead in a household, chiwog, or gewog, leadership roles are prioritised and encouraged for females,” Amber Bahadur Subba said, citing examples of water user groups and community forests.

Man Singh Lepcha, Health Assistant at Lhamoizingkha Hospital, explained that under the safe drinking water concept, processes such as water collection, transportation, storage, treatment, and consumption are prioritised, highlighting the importance of safe water management.

“If one process is undermined, the risk of water contamination and waterborne diseases increases significantly,” he said.

He said that now with educated youth more concerned about health and hygiene, water usage, toilet habits, and kitchen cleanliness have improved greatly in the villages.

Water quality testing is conducted twice a year, and routine cleaning of water sources is now a standard practice, he said.

“Good water management is crucial to public health,” he said.“Advocacy materials and public discussions play a big role in raising awareness and addressing community concerns.”

Looking ahead

Of the three gewogs—Karmaling, Nichula, and Lhamoizingkha—under the dungkhag administration, most chiwogs have been reached. “Karmaling gewog, the farthest from the dungkhag, will also be reached in due time,” Man Singh Lepcha said.

All sectors, he said, should collaborate and frame water user guidelines specifying roles to manage water usage effectively.

In addition to its success in water management, Pungshi chiwog plans to take further steps to protect its water sources.

Water caretaker Lachu Man Waiba outlined plans to plant trees at the water source to enhance water availability and reduce the risk of landslides. “Funding for saplings and planting initiatives will be crucial for our long-term water security,” he said.

For  persons with disabilities (PwDs), the gewog administration plans to provide bedside toilets.  There are about five PwDs in the gewog. This is part of a broader effort to make sanitation more inclusive for all members of the community.

This story is produced in collaboration with SNV Bhutan with support from the Royal Government of Bhutan, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government, and the Water for Women Fund.