The Health Education and Development Society (HEADS), in partnership with Penny Appeal, successfully implemented a water security and hygiene initiative in Districts Charsadda and Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project aimed to strengthen water security, dignity, and hygiene practices for underserved families through the installation of 50 shallow hand pumps. By ensuring reliable access to safe and clean drinking water at the household level, the initiative addressed critical WASH needs, improved health outcomes, reduced the daily burden on women and children, and enhanced overall quality of life in vulnerable communities.

Project Objectives:

• Enhanced water security for underserved households through access to safe and clean drinking water.

• Improved dignity, health, and well-being, particularly for women and children, by reducing the time and effort required to fetch water.

• Promoted safe health and hygiene practices at the community level.

• Strengthened community ownership and sustainability through local institutional development.

• Supported household nutrition and livelihoods through the promotion of kitchen gardening.

Key Activities:

• Installed 50 shallow hand pumps across Districts Charsadda and Nowshera.

• Conducted community handover ceremonies to promote ownership and accountability.

• Delivered Health and Hygiene Awareness Sessions to encourage safe WASH practices.

• Distributed vegetable seeds to support kitchen gardening and improved household nutrition.

• Formed Village Development Committees (VDCs) to oversee community-level management.

• Trained Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Committees on hand pump upkeep and minor repairs.

• Provided maintenance toolkits to ensure long-term functionality and sustainability of the water systems.