In a visionary move towards improving the quality of life for the marginalized, BISAP (Bangladesh Integrated Social Advancement Programme) launched a transformative public health initiative on April 1, 1993, with the generous support of CAFOD, UK. This flagship project targeted the Slums and Refugee Camps of Chittagong, with a powerful goal: to elevate health outcomes and dramatically reduce the spread of waterborne and communicable diseases through an integrated approach combining community awareness (software support) and physical infrastructure (hardware support).

In its first year, ending March 31, 1994, the programme laid the foundation for a long-lasting change empowering communities with knowledge, skills, and access to sanitation solutions that could save lives and restore dignity.

Programme Objectives

The programme was designed with a clear, multifaceted strategy:

1. Conduct Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Studies to understand the community’s behavior and mindset around sanitation and environmental hygiene.
2. Launch Motivational Campaigns via local discussion forums, school programs, community group meetings, and capacity-building workshops with teachers, Imams, and stakeholders.
3. Provide Technical Training for Masons to support employment creation and sustainable sanitation infrastructure development.
4. Create and Distribute Educational Materials on hygiene and sanitation to promote behavior change at a large scale.
5. Deliver Hardware Support such as hygienic latrines and proper drainage systems to ensure safe waste management.

Software Support: Awakening Communities through knowledge

One of the cornerstones of the project was its ‘software’ component, which focused on engaging hearts and minds to inspire behavioral change. The programme employed a variety of methods interactive discussions, school-based campaigns, specialized training, and printed media—to create a groundswell of awareness across the most vulnerable segments of society.

Promotional Activities: Making Hygiene a Social Movement

A. Local Discussion Forums

To ignite local leadership and ensure grassroots participation, seven community discussion forums were held, engaging 1,906 local leaders and influencers. These forums served as open platforms for knowledge exchange and collective decision-making, reinforcing the community’s commitment to improved sanitation practices.

B. Group Meetings in Slums and Refugee Camps

With 200 group meetings conducted (60 in Slums and 140 in Refugee Camps), 6,400 men and women participated directly in the sessions. These meetings fostered collective understanding of the importance of Personal Hygiene and the use of Hygienic Latrines. Participants also played a pivotal role in identifying deserving families for latrine installations, ensuring inclusivity and ownership of the process.

C. School Programme: Planting Seeds of Change in Young Minds

Education is the most sustainable tool for transformation. BISAP recognized this and introduced hygiene awareness programs in 100 Schools, involving over 1,000 Teachers and 25,000 Students. As a result, noticeable improvements in Personal Hygiene were observed among children. Teachers actively reinforced messages about cleanliness, turning schools into hubs of change.

A view of School Programme on importance of Personal hygiene of Children

D. Training for Imams and Teachers: Mobilizing Moral Leaders

Recognizing the influence of religious and educational leaders, 50 training sessions were organized for 1,150 Imams and 850 Teachers. These 3-day trainings—facilitated by experts from NGO Forum and the Islamic Foundation—equipped participants to disseminate crucial health messages to their followers and students. These leaders became powerful advocates of hygiene, spreading awareness through sermons, classes, and community interactions.

II. Mason Training: Building Skills, Building Futures

To ensure the community could sustainably maintain and replicate sanitation infrastructure, 100 Mason training sessions were conducted, training 500 local individuals. The 4-day comprehensive course covered both theoretical and practical knowledge on producing sanitary latrines focusing on pans, slabs, and rings and on their proper installation and maintenance.

A notable success was the training session in Sitakunda, where trainers from BISAP, DPHE, and NGO Forum led impactful sessions. These newly trained masons not only supported the construction of hygienic latrines in their communities but also contributed to household income through their new technical skills.

III. Strategic Events: Catalyzing Policy and Practice

Workshops on Sanitation and Hygiene

Two participatory workshops were held to gather insights, share experiences, and develop strategies for making sanitation practices community-owned and sustainable. Experts from UNICEF, NGO Forum, and DPHE presented on challenges and solutions in sanitation, urging a participatory and localized approach to ensure long-term impact.

National Seminar: Uniting Voices for Health

On March 30, 1994, BISAP hosted a National Seminar on Sanitation and Personal Hygiene at the Chittagong District Council Hall, drawing 127 participants from diverse sectors—government officials, policymakers, NGOs, community leaders, and beneficiaries.

The seminar was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong and concluded with a strong recommendation: sustainable development requires balancing both awareness (software) and infrastructure (hardware), while promoting integrated, community-led interventions.

IV. Educational Materials & Public Awareness Campaigns

A robust public information campaign supported the project’s awareness goals:

• Posters: Two visually engaging poster types promoting personal hygiene and latrine use were distributed, with 10,000 copies each circulating in communities.

• Leaflets: 15,000 informative leaflets were published and
• distributed to educate literate and semi-literate populations on environmental hygiene.
• Brochures: 5,000 English-Language Brochures highlighted BISAP’s mission and activities. These were shared widely with the DPHE, NGOs, Government Departments, and Community Leaders.

• Manuals for Users and Masons:
  • Manual on Hygienic Latrine Installation and Maintenance (3,000 copies) helped households understand how to use and maintain latrines.
  • Mason Training Module and Manual (3,000 copies) served as a technical guidebook for trained Masons, making this a pioneering initiative in Bangladesh.

V. Hardware Support: Turning Knowledge into Action

True transformation comes when knowledge meets opportunity. Alongside its educational efforts, BISAP ensured that communities received tangible, life-improving infrastructure. This included:

• Installation of hygienic latrines in slums and camps.
• Repair and construction of drainage systems to reduce standing water and prevent disease outbreaks.

These interventions ensured that the awareness created was backed by real, usable solutions offering dignity, safety, and health to thousands of marginalized families.

A Legacy of Awareness, Empowerment, and Impact

BISAP’s sanitation and health initiative set a benchmark for community-based, inclusive development. By blending awareness with access, training with infrastructure, and leadership with grassroots participation, the programme created a ripple effect that still resonates today.

What began in 1993 as a one-year pilot has evolved into a model for how health and dignity can be restored through community-driven, participatory action. It reminds us that true progress isn’t just about facilities—it’s about people, participation, and purpose.