One of the most immediate benefits of microfinance is that it helps clients increase their income. But Dia Vikas‘ microfinance partners also provide many additional benefits to clients to ensure a more holistic impact.

One example is Dia Vikas‘ partner Adhikar, who identified the importance of clean drinking water and its impact on health.

Adhikar hopes to address the health problems arising due to unavailability of clean drinking water in the most marginalized communities. Our pilot project in Haathbaredi village, Khordha district of Odisha can provide Reverse Osmosis (RO) treated water to about 1000 families.

Despite the obvious advantages of consuming affordable treated water, like reduction in waterborne diseases, and time saved in collecting water, Adhikar faced a lot of challenges in getting the community to buy treated water. Following intensive training and awareness sessions, people have slowly begun to buy treated water.

Adhikar has been encouraging the villagers to not just buy treated water but also store them in clean vessels. For this they have promoted 20 litre water jars as villagers come to buy water. The jars are washed regularly at the plant.

The water plant has brought smiles to the faces of the villagers in Haathbaredi as they have clean and affordable drinking water!