Winning Together – Sustainable entrepreneurship in line with safe water assurance | Shujola

The rapid growth of Bangladesh's RMG sector resulted in workers migrating from rural and urban areas to live in clusters near factories. This unplanned and rapid localization caused RMG workers to sacrifice basic needs including running water, sanitation, and safe water access. Research by OXFAM revealed that more than three-quarters of readymade garment workers lacked the basic facility of running water in their households. The lack of government coverage resulted in informal and local suppliers charging hefty amounts for low-quality water services. This inadequate supply of safe water was a key contributor to workers' poor health and created an opportunity for sustainable local entrepreneurship.

Enroute International Limited implemented the Shujola project in collaboration with Swisscontact (project initiator), JTI (funder), Drinkwell, and FloWater Solutions. The solution focused on:

- Water Kiosk Establishment: Promoted local water entrepreneurship by establishing water kiosks run by local entrepreneurs to provide safe water at low cost to RMG workers and communities.
- Awareness & Demand Generation: Conducted awareness and demand generation activities among low-income people in RMG communities across Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur, and Savar through a 5-month campaign.
- Community Engagement Activities: Facilitated courtyard sessions, branding activities (leaflets, posters, stickers), and door-to-door (D2D) engagement to reach target communities.
- Entrepreneur Training: Trained local entrepreneurs to set up and operate water kiosks sustainably.
- Sustainable Business Model: Created a sustainable business ecosystem where local entrepreneurs could generate income while providing safe water access to RMG workers and their communities.

The Shujola project achieved significant social and economic impact:

- Reached over 3,400 homes through awareness and demand generation activities
- Branded 850 shops with project messaging
- Sold 1,150 water ATM (automatic teller machine) cards
- Employed 40 low-income people through water kiosk operations
- Supplied 100,000 liters of water to RMG workers' residential community members and institutional clients
- Trained 5 local entrepreneurs to set up and operate water kiosks
- Reached 10,000 RMG workers' residential community members through awareness raising campaigns

The project successfully promoted local entrepreneurship, raised awareness among mass populations, and reached beneficiaries while creating a sustainable business model for safe water access in RMG communities.