KII-4 WE-Geeta Rani 

 
Q1: Would you please tell how your organization was established? What do you do?  
 
ANS: We sell water. Purified water which is safe and examined. For this reason it has been in
demand to all. We go to the root level and make them understand that this water is good.
Before the water that we have in our area used to create problems for the people but now
drinking our water everybody is well. We go to villages and try to make people understand also
do campaign that this water is good. For this reason, people are happy that our area has such
good quality water, they drink this water. My number is inscribed on the jar. We are known for
this water.  
 
Q2: How did you start the organization? 
Ans: The Chairman proposed that we would set up a water plant. Our village’s name, which is a
middle point of Tangar Khal at Kadakati Union, was proposed by Rupantor. They also said that
this can be done by discussing with the women of the village. Every one of the union would be
benefited if a water plant was set up. At the primary stage they arrange a meeting where 40 to
50 women came. At first it was said to invest 20% money, but some women said that they did
not have the money as that was the time of October and November. . So, many of the women
returned and only 10 women stayed. Then we said to the brothers to reduce the amount. We
also said to them that we would deposit the amount from selling the water to bank account
and would not take any return and they agreed. Then we had 2 or 3 more meetings to take the
decision and then the plant was started. 
 
 
 
Q2: Emran bhai, how did you help from Rupantor to establish the plant? 
 
 
ANS: According to our project plan, we have several plants. We did a primary survey to find the
areas with water crisis, then we did a mapping of the crisis areas wherein their area fell. Then
we directly talked to the Union Council of that area as we work with the local government.
Then they suggested the group where Geeta di and other 40 to 50 women used to run
cooperatives in the name of Golam lady society. At that time, we used to give the plant only to
the ladies who had cooperative society. Since they used to do cooperative society, they had an
organizational structure. The 10 ladies who are in our group, they might be not in the
cooperatives, but others were. What we had to do was to select 10 persons in the leadership of
Gita di whom we thought most dedicated. Then we selected a roadside place which was given
by the brother-in-law of one of the members as in our design we just supply the plant, not land
which was to provide by the community. Their water crisis was so acute specially the level of
arsenic and iron was so high that they had to buy drinking water form far specially during
summer. They had crisis, organizational existence and the ladies had experience of doing
cooperative society, we decided to set up the plant there basing on these. Then following our
usual process, we finished the work using our engineering division and division. 
 
 
Q3: Who gave you the engineering support or technical assistance to set up the plant? Emran
bhai, would you please tell? 
 
 
 
Ans: We have engineers in our project. In addition, we just followed WaterAid’s design as they
have 10-15 years or more experience of setting up water treatment plant in different areas of
Bangladesh, especially in the coastal areas,  
 
 
 
 
Q4 What are the helps you received from WaterAid? 
 
 
ANS: The financial support was given by a water company of UK-Seven Trent. WaterAid and we
worked as collaborators. WaterAid reports to the UK company, and they are accountable. Our
accountability is to WaterAid. To us WaterAid is the donor and to WaterAid Server Trent is the
donor. WaterAid’s role is to give technical support. All types of guidances budgeting, plant
monitoring and follow up are done by WaterAid. They have four staffs here who look after the 4
projects, and we work as partner NGO stuffs.  
 
 
 
Q5: This question is to Geeta Rani Dey. Do you sell the water to the community? How do you
sell? How much money do you take and how much profit do you earn? 
  
Ans: 50 paisa per liter. After deducting the electricity bill and caretaker’s salary from the
earning, we get our profit. 
 
 
Q6: In your endeavor to spread this water, from whom have you receive help all the time-
WaterAid or Rupantor?  
 
Ans: From Rupantor.  
 
Q7: Who do the maintenance of this plant? You, Rupantor or WaterAid?  
 
Ans: We get the help from Rupantor all the time. We bring mechanics through them. Our
caretakers have received training also. This way we do the maintenance work.   
 
 
Q8: Your Upazilla is Ashashoni. How have you created the awareness among the people about
drinking safe water? 
 
Ans: In villages we sat with them, did meeting, lawn meeting, told all the men and women that
our water is good, we have examined that our water is arsenic free, showed the the test result
to the educated people among them. Before the people used to suffer from diarrheal diseases
drinking different water like tap water, PSF’s water etc. But now drinking our water people of
area are of good health. 
 
 
Q 9: Do the people in local government like Chairman and members help you to create this
awareness among the people? 
 
Ans: They only told people that yes, this water is good, you can drink this water. Just this much.
No other help. 
 
Q10: Are people buying this water with money? 
 
Ans: Yes, they buying to drink. They buy more during the hot weather and less in during the
rain. 
 
 
Q11: WaterAid not only works with purified water but also with sanitation and hygiene. D you
have any intervention regarding this. I would like to know from Imran bhai. 
 
Ans: yes, we do. Here we work with the infrastructure of water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Specially in school, community, and community clinic. In the government community clinics, we
setup technology for water, we do rainwater harvesting for schools. We upgrade the existing
toilets of the government community clinics and new toilets are built for ladies with hand
washing facilities. In fact, we work for three packages like water, sanitation, and hygiene for the
community clinics. Beside the community clinics we do rainwater harvesting, WASH block for
schools which means we build complete package of water, sanitation, and hygiene with MSN
facilities where there are different corners for girls and boys. We do hand wash sessions in
schools. WaterAid has some beautiful audio video materials and drama about hand wash and
some other materials with which we conduct the hand wash session. We talk about three touch
points so that a message can reach a person not once but thrice. No matter whether a person is
in school or community, he will receive the message thrice in three different mediums and this
is the attributes of three touch points. In fact, we work with all the three sectors of WASH
which is water, sanitation, and hygiene. 
 
Q12: So, we came to know that you have some materials through which you make people
aware. What are the materials you have used for Geeta Rani’s organization Water Entrepreneur
for women empowerment (WEWE) to make people aware? 
 
Ans: There organization is a business group. We have made a model for women
empowerment which is totally a business model. They are basically entrepreneurs. We have
nothing to do with them regarding materials, sessions etc. Still, they voluntarily work with us to
help. Last year during COVID they set up hand washing devices in the community using
bamboo. They bought local bamboo and made washing devices which we call tipi tap. We
taught them the technology and they have set up around 50 tipi taps, and they went to the
houses of their community to make people aware about hand wash during the peak time of
Covid. Then, they distributed Soapy Water, the method of making was taught by ICDDRB, and
we taught them that method and they taught the people of their community to make that
Soapy Water. The people who come to take water, they did demo of making Soapy Water and
they distributed 1000 mini surf excel among the people of their community to make this soapy
water. When they launched their group, we have given them two trainings- one is caretaker
training and the other is on basic business operation. The tool which we gave them is Social
Mapping which they have used on their own to find out their customers and vulnerable areas.
For example, they have picked 6 villages of Tengrakhali union where Geeta di’s plant is situated.
These six villages are their catchment areas of water selling. In these villages, suppose, there
are 2500 families. But among them all the families will not take water. May be 300 families will
take water and these 300 families were picked to whom the water can be sold, and profit can
be made within 6 months. To do this there are different considerations. Like they consider the
season-whether it is summer, monsoon or winter, then they consider distance and mediums.
All these things have been inculcated in their heads by us through brainstorming. We have used
some tools for them. One is, what I have said earlier, 6 months business plan. There are some
parts of business plan like selling, distribution, profit. For all these different charts were made
using which they do the planning semiannually. They do their costing plan, sales plan, profit
plan, if they need to buy something then they do that buying plan, capital investment and other
investment plan. So, they systematically plan for everything they need in 6 months. It is a chart,
you would understand easily if we could have shown you the charts.  
 
Q: Ok, we have heard about WEWE model. How does this WEWE model work? Or, what is this
business model? Is this the semiannual model about which you have told us?  

Ans: Yes. There is no definite roadmap from WaterAid about this model. However, in the
guideline which we have about the WEWE model, they have expressed that they want to set up
the model through practice, but the vision is to establish the poor women of the community
through water business. If we think about this from gender perspective, then social institution
plus family and local government where people like Geeta Rani represents. She is known to all
as the Chairman of the water plant. So, through these practices we have realized the character
of women empowerment. But you will not get any written documents about the future model.
We will set up a road map through practical situation, maybe within next two or three years.
Primarily a business focus model has been set up about which we have a guideline, WaterAid
has a guideline on hardware implementation. But we do not have any detail guideline about the
WEWE model. But that will be made by us. Through the practices that are going on in different
places, WaterAid will make the guidelines in future.  
 
Q: (Not clear) …. You have distributed hand washing items during COVID and make people
aware about handwash. If a company like Unilever or any other company wants to spread their
product in community level, then what role can Gita Rani dey’s organization play? 
 
Ans: Emran: Our focus area is WASH. If it matches with our goals, then organizations like the
Gita Rani’s organization which is very active has already achieved the capacity to implement
this in their community. If it aligns with the goals and purposes of our projects and if WaterAid
allows, then it is possible.  
 
Q: Gita Rani, we want to know from you regarding the reactions of the people about your
product and how you are going forward avoiding any bad reactions from the people? 
 
Ans: Yes, sometimes it is told that we give medicine in the water and this water is not drinkable.
It is also told that women will become infertile if they drink our water for 12 years. We then
make them realize that we do not use medicine. What we use (not clear) to keep the
membrane well is not a problem. Then people realize that it is ok, and they make the people
who say harsh words, understand. 
 
Q: What are the ways to make people understand? 
Ans: When they say negative things in front of us, then we can make them understand but
when they say these behind our back, we cannot do anything. We make them understand that
water is life. Why should we put inappropriate things in it? We tell them to examine our water
with any third party. Then they understand. 
 
Q: If a soap company wants to spread their products to the people of your community, will you
be able to do this?  
Ans: If we get proper training and understanding, then we must be able to do this.  
 
Q: Do you have the capability to make people understand? Do people listen to you? 
Ans: Yes, most of the people listen to us. There are some people who do not want to listen to
us but most of the people listen to us.  
 
Q: Emran bhai, my last question to you. As we have seen that Seven Trent gives fund to
WaterAid. If any Bangladeshi private or business company gives you fund, then how will you be
able to use that fund so that the business company can be benefitted? 
 
Ans: The fund which we are using now is the fund of a water company. WaterAid as a media
has collected the fund. In this case, the main thing is a mutual understanding. According to an
agreement this fund is used. So, if any company gives fund to Rupantor, they must give the
fund as their social responsibility and that fund will be used as per the written agreement.
Rupantor has been doing this work since 1996. Now, Rupantor is working at the National level.
Side by side they are working in the coastal belt with different donors as per mutual agreement.
From this long experience, I can say, if any company comes forward, then that fund will be used
as per mutual agreement and as per the guidelines of Bangladesh NGO affairs beuraue.  
 
Q: In this case, if a private company gives their fund, they will want to get some profit from this
activity. Say, if Uniliver gives you their products or if they want to spread their product among
people through you, then they will want some profit from these activities. So, what can you do
to ensure this profit?

Ans: Our WE-WE model works for their own interest. So Uniliver will think about their interest.
If you mediate between Rupantor and Uniliver, then you will think about your interest. I am
telling this from professional point of view. Again, if our group work as distributor, then they
will think about their interest. So, there must be an agreement mentioning who gets what. Our
WE-WE model basically works with business model. They do not operate following NGO model.
We operate following NGO model. We work as volunteer from our responsibility where
Rupantor do not have any scope to make profit. This is the reality. But our WE-WE group is not
registered as NGO. If they want, they can work as distributor and keeping their own profit they
can work for the profit of Unilever. Our plants may work as distributor of Unilever. These plants
are looking for sources of business. For example, Gita di’s plant has already arranged three
sources of fund- one is garments business, one is business of lingerie for women and
beautification. They are already doing these businesses and their plants work as business
outlet. So, if you give them any business offer, we cannot accept the offer, but we can guide
them to use the fund professionally so that both the parties are benefitted. Our NGO do not
have any relation with the profit. We want them to operate independently.