Denmark and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 24 August 2010 for joint collaboration and support to the Hygiene, Sanitation and Water (HYSAWA) Fund.
The HYSAWA Fund provides direct financial and technical support to local authorities in Bangladesh for improved hygiene promotion, water supply and sanitation. The Government of Bangladesh, Denmark and now also AusAid are supporting the HYSAWA Fund with financial and technical assistance.
Dr. Justin Lee, Mr. Monjur Hossain and Mr. Jan Møller Hansen signing the MoU. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Since April 2008 the HYSAWA Fund has financed the implementation of 16.000 tube wells and 200 piped rural water supply schemes and supported the construction of some 450.000 household and community latrines in the country. It is estimated that around 1 million people have benefitted from the activities so far. Furthermore, app. 2 million people have been trained on hand washing.
AusAid will over the coming two years allocate 7.7 Million AUD (US$ 7.8 million) to the HYSAWA Fund. Denmark and the Government of Bangladesh have since 2006 contributed with app. US$ 32 Million and US$ 5.5 Million, respectively. New additional Danish support to the HYSAWA Fund is expected from 2012 until 2015.
The new financial contributions from AusAid and Danida are expected to improve hygiene, water supply and sanitation for an additional 600.000 people in Bangladesh.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, 24 Sep 2010
