In the wake of COVID-19 crisis, Grameen Veolia Water (GVW) continues in providing arsenic-free and WHO standard quality safe water to the communities through its network reaching out to almost 4000 persons (as of April 2020). It is crucial to have access to water to adopt the barriers gesture and prevent the risk of contagion. Today, the GVW network is connected to 600 private house connections and 40 community tap points. The house connections are currently helping the families practice social distancing.
Bangladesh, which has the most coronavirus cases in South Asia after India and Pakistan, first imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 26 and has extended it five times so far. Two weeks before the announcement of the lockdown, GVW social team, anticipating this risk, took the opportunity to visit around 200 families and distributed soaps and leaflets creating awareness on COVID-19, while respecting social distancing. The employees took all the necessary precautions wearing gloves, masks, and sanitizers to keep themselves safe from being infected.
GVW has been constantly working to deliver safe drinking to the inhabitants in rural areas. Even during this pandemic crisis, the employees of GVW working at the frontline have ensured the smooth functioning of the project to deliver arsenic-free and WHO standard quality water. The teams are working together wearing all necessary protective equipment on a rotational basis in order to ensure a reduced but continuous workforce on ground. At the end of April, the team re-started door-to-door meter reading ensuring all necessary precautions and took this opportunity to distribute soaps and reminded the customers of the measures to follow.
GVW is also operating its jar distribution business in order to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to its consumers. Our delivery team is being continuously cautious to properly sanitize before delivering the jars inside any premises. The team involved in the distribution are instructed to keep a constant notice for any symptoms of COVID-19 and are under constant monitoring.
With all these efforts, #OurDailyHeroes at GVW will continue to provide the #EssentialServices committed to our customers. We hope the efforts of our team will help the community adhere to the rules of confinement without having to compromise with their health and access to a basic service.
