Handwashing stations to be installed at ‘Panahgahs’

Islamabad:As part of an effort to make ‘Panahgahs’ safe, secure and sustainable shelter for the daily wagers, ‘Panahgah’ Management Team and Strengthening Participatory Strengthening (SPO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday for the installation of handwashing stations.

The public-private partnership will boost ‘Keep Panahgahs Clean’ campaign and will contribute to protecting daily wagers who stream into big cities to seek a livelihood.

The MoU was signed by Chief Executive Officer, SPO Arifa Mazhar and Prime Minister's Focal Person Naseem ur Rehman at Ehsas head office. On this occasion, Naseem ur Rehman commended the coalition and said that it will strengthen the government efforts for protecting the most vulnerable group of people, daily wagers, especially in the time of COVID-19. He termed this partnership a “practical demonstration of shared responsibility for the needy and poor."

He said that the most effective way to spread a message for public health interventions is back up the message with a readily available supplies. “This initiative will be a big step forward for turning ‘Panahgahs’ into a place where standard operating procedures can be practiced,” he added.

Under this initiative, hand washing stations provided with disinfection liquid and clean water will be installed for the residents of ‘Panahgahs’ who face greater risk due to unavoidable overcrowding. ‘Panahgahs’ provide a neat and clean eating and sleeping place for the breadwinners of the families living below the poverty line. In the first phase of the initiative, the state of art facility hand washing stations will be installed in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.

The service providers and Saylani team members who work hand in hand at the ‘Langars’ and ‘Panahgahs’ will also receive a training to promote the norm of handwashing as the most needed precautionary measure for promoting healthy lives. SPO is one of the largest civil society organization working since 1994 has its outreach in 75 districts. The organization is dedicated to advance sustainable development goals.