GRACE - GRACE Water Project

Grace Association Pakistan begins implementation of the project: GRACE Water Supply Astana Skardu funded by Government of Japan Embassy in Pakistan on November 14 2009. The project costs Rs.7.23 Millions.
The project, which includes social empowerment of women, means gender mainstreaming in water and sanitation project and provision of safe drinking water to 1275 households of the local Astana Bala and Astana Paeen Communities including 667 displaced families from India Pakistan Border Areas during the Wars in 1965, 1971 and 1999.
A meeting of the elders of all 4 project villages conducted at Grace Program Office Skardu to discuss on term of responsibilities and to sign the Memorandum of Understandings. 26 village elders and clergy, local political representatives from all 4 project villages participated in the 2day meetings on November 15-16, 2009. A 9 members Village Water Committee (VWC) has been constituted earlier and the selected members were reconfirmed and verified in the meeting.

The MoU was signed by all village elders including Syed Muhammad Abbas Rzivi former member Gilgit Baltistan Assembly, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Advocate former Technocrat Member GBLA District Skardu and Wazir Ghulam Abbas Member District Council Skardu. In the signed MoU the VWC and Village Elders agreed to provide all unskilled labors for the project as community contribution; permanent water supply connections and required pipe stands for the dislocated populations colonies i.e Brolmo Colony and Gultary Colony. The Elders also agreed for establishment of Women Water Committees one in each project village. It has also been agreed that collection and management of tariff fee Rs.20/- per household per month would be done by the women water committees after project phase out for its sustainability. Capacities of the women water committees would be built by Grace Association through a 7day capacity building workshop to be held in near future.
Grace Association also carried out the social mobilization meeting series in all 4 villages for men and women separately. A Village Water Committee established in Brolmo Colony keeping in view the nature of work and need of the said colony. Members for Women Water Committees in each project village have been selected in the meet.
The communities decided to start the digging and laying of pipe works when the materials are provided at project sites.
Grace Association is intending to complete 50% of the project works during the winter season because during spring and summer the poor men folk work in the market for daily wages to meet their needs.