On International Women's Day, read the stories of women who are #AcceleratingAction in their communities as part of Habitat's Home Equals campaign.
Since 2015, Sahana has led the community water, sanitation and hygiene committee, or CWC, in Duaripara, one of the largest informal settlements in northwest Dhaka, Bangladesh. The 25-member committee was elected by residents. Sahana and other CWC members took training courses in various skills, including masonry and carpentry, proper hygiene and waste management. The community continues to seek ways to confront challenges such as lack of clean water and poor drainage. Habitat for Humanity, through the Home Equals campaign, seeks to support the innovative solutions coming from communities such as Duaripara, advocating for policy changes that help residents continue to improve their neighbourhoods.
In informal settlements such as Duaripara, fires can spread rapidly through the houses that are built close together. The densely populated areas also make evacuation very difficult. Firefighters have reported delays in responding to slum fires due to the narrow streets and lack of hydrants or other sources of water to extinguish the fire. Sahana’s fire safety skills were put to the test when a blaze engulfed homes in her community in March 2023. She recalled seeing smoke that billowed into the common yard that she shared with a few households. “At first, I thought it was a small fire caused by people burning waste,” Sahana says just a week after the blaze. Then a girl from the community ran in with the news that houses nearby were on fire. Sahana took action immediately as she wanted to prevent the fire from spreading to other units including hers. With a few other CWC members, Sahana rushed to evacuate residents whose homes were either on fire or nearby. “Women were rolling on the street, crying and screaming,” CWC member Morjina says. Due to the smoke, the CWC members could not enter the burning houses. The fire engine arrived on the scene but could not enter because of the narrow alley. According to Sahana, a member of the fire response team dashed inside a burning house to rescue a baby who was alone at home while her sister was in school. Other people in the community threw sand, sackcloth, and water into the fire to try and put it out. Five housing units in a row were eventually razed as a result of the damage they sustained.
A week later, Sahana and Morjina visited the site where the razed units were being rebuilt by the landlord. “Everything was burned; that tree also turned to ashes. People were unable to save their money and belongings,” Sahana recalls. Due to the people’s quick actions, the fire did not spread to other houses, she says. If a pregnant woman were inside the burning house, Sahana thinks there would be no chance of rescue. “Whenever we see a fire, we panic. I tell people not to panic. The priority is to evacuate women, older people and children.” She adds, “As CWC members, our responsibility is to check in on people. We should help somebody in distress and vice versa. The things that we learned, we want the same training for those who will replace us in the CWC. We want a group that is as active as we are."
Sahana and her family rent a room for 7,000 taka (US$65) a month. They share a kitchen and a wash area together with 11 other households that occupy the other rooms in the house. Her husband Shahidul runs a small shop just outside their room, selling snacks and household items. On the wall opposite the shop is a map that marks housing units that are at high risk in case a fire occurs due to their close proximity to each other, the use of non-durable building materials and other factors.
Sahana and other CWC members raised the concerns that the people living in Duaripara were facing with the ward councilor. These included damaged roads, insufficient toilets, and a shortage of drainage systems. They were able to get the ward councilor to approve their application for road repairs and the construction of new toilets as well as a drainage system in Duaripara. Between 2016 and 2019, the residents were able to construct 17 toilets, a 204-feet walkway and a 150-feet drainage system in partnership with various nongovernmental organizations.
Within the community, Sahana emphasizes the importance of menstrual hygiene and hygiene that can affect school attendance, community participation, safety, mobility and well-being of girls and women. Instead of sanitary pads, fabric was previously used, given the lack of awareness and limited access to menstrual hygiene products. The lack of adequate sanitation facilities, particularly those with toilets for women, is also a challenge. After conducting relevant training for girls and their parents, Sahana is pleased to report that people have become more conscious of the need for menstrual hygiene. Other improvements included the use of hygienic toilets instead of “hanging toilets” where waste fell untreated below. She still faces issues with adequate access to sanitation and water facilities. “If I had a personal toilet, I could use it rather than standing in line to use the (communal) toilet.” Water and gas supply are other problems. She adds, “Some people get water and others don’t. There is a problem with cooking gas so it’s difficult to cook here.”
Advocating against child marriages is something close to her heart. Married at age 13, Sahana says, “I wish no one would be like me.” She is supportive of her two sons’ plan which is to return to her husband’s hometown in Savar and start a café. “I want the same thing, but I’m connected to Duaripara.” She adds, “I live in this densely populated place but it’s safer. If anything happens to me, my neighbours know and come to me. I can look after them (when they are) in danger."
She adds, “If I go, I would stay 15 days in Savar and 15 days in Duaripara. Home is a sanctuary where I can relax and live my life on my own terms.”
