Interim Report on the Darvish Yu Water Fund 18th Project！ - News

Rain Water for the Poor, Sharankhola Upazila, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh

1.Project Site

Jagrata Juba Shangha（JJS） office complex, Bakultala Community, Rayenda Village, South Khali Union, Sharankhola Upazila, Bagerhat District, Khulna Division, Bangladesh

Location of South Khali Union, Khulna Division

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Layout Plan of Project Site

JJS office complex: The proposed RWHS will be constructed between the cyclone shelter and office buildings: four 10,000 liter tanks, a pond and a pond sand filter (PSF) to the south

2.Expected Beneficiaries

500 direct beneficiaries (100 households : 174 men, 176 women, 150 children)

3.Local Partner

Jagrata Juba Shangha（JJS）

Website: www.jjsbangladesh.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jjsbangladesh

4.Project Description

1)Background and Water Problems at the Target Site

The south-west coastal region of Bangladesh faces acute water-related challenges due to climate-induced hazards, including cyclones, tidal surges, and increasing salinity. The groundwater is not suitable for drinking, being contaminated with salinity and iron. This project seeks to address these issues by installing inclusive rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS), with a storage capacity of 40,000 liters and hygiene awareness campaigns to ensure year-round access to safe drinking water, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized groups.

2)Activity Progress

(1)Agreement Signing

　A formal MoU for the project was signed on 1 July 2025 between Jagrata Juba Shangha (JJS) and the Japan Water Forum (JWF). The signing paved the way for mobilization in the target area.

(2)NGO Bureau Approval

JJS prepared the required Foreign Donation Form-6 to obtain official approval from the NGO Affairs Bureau of the Government of Bangladesh. The application was submitted in the third week of June 2025. The project received NGO Bureau approval on 13 August 2025, significantly earlier than the standard three-month processing period. This timely approval ensured that project activities could commence without delay.

(3)Tendering

JJS issued a tender for procuring water tanks and constructing the RWHS on 26 August 2025. JJS has followed the Open Tender method (OTM) for the RWHS. Following a competitive evaluation process, the JJS Procurement Committee selected Maryeam Enterprise as the implementing contractor. Construction work commenced in September 2025 and was fully completed by the third week of November 2025.

(4)Construction of RWHS

Construction of the RWHS commenced in September 2025. The contractor transported all necessary construction materials and equipment to the project site. Work began with preparing and constructing the reinforced concrete foundation and protective shed. Once the foundation and shed were completed, four 10,000 liter water tanks were securely installed. The installation conformed to technical design approval in order to ensure durability, efficient water collection, and ease of maintenance. With these key components in place, the RWHS structure was established.

(5)Challenges

During transportation, one of the 10,000-liter water tanks was found to have been damaged. Since these tanks are custom-made and produced only by special order, the manufacturer required additional time to prepare a replacement. The supplier ultimately delivered the new tank during the last week of October, 2025. This delay made it impossible to capture rainwater during the rainy season. The system could not be utilized immediately after installation. However, the RWHS is now fully in place, and we expect to begin effective water collection in the next rainy season.　

(6)Upcoming Activities

Name of Activity	Number	Time
Sharing meeting with stakeholders	1 meeting with Upazila and other stakeholders	By 1st week of December
Hygiene awareness campaign
Courtyard session	2 sessions (20 participants per session)	By 2nd week of December
School campaign	1 session	By 1st week of December
Water quality testing	1 time	To be decided
Handover ceremony	1 time	By 1st week of December
Reporting
Completion Report	1 report	By January, 2026

(7)Conclusion

The Rain Water for the Poor project has progressed effectively despite minor logistical challenges. All major preparatory and construction activities were completed on time. The fully constructed RWHS units are now ready for use, allowing the community to benefit from safe water collection in the upcoming rainy season. The remaining activities, such as stakeholder engagement, hygiene awareness, water quality testing, and the handover ceremony, are scheduled for December 2025 and early 2026. Overall, the project is moving steadily toward its goal of ensuring sustainable, safe drinking water access for vulnerable households in South Khali Union.

▼2025.7.31 Darvish Yu Water Fund: 18th project, Rain water for the Poor, Sharankhola Upazila, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh, is now underway!▼

https://www.waterforum.jp/en/news/23553/

【Contact info】

Japan Water Forum
TEL: +81-(0)3-5645-8040 Fax: +81-(0)3-5645-8041
E-mail: office［at］waterforum.jp *Please change［at］to @

(Reported by Takejiro Suzuki, Project Manager)