The Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) is one of several organisations actively promoting household water treatment in Nepal. UNICEF and the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, with technical support from Business Advantage and ENPHO, produced a one-minute TV commercial on Point of Use (POU) Water Treatment. The commercial, which included actors Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya, has been nominated as one of the finalists for the 5th Crity Award for Best TV commercial. The Crity Awards are presented by the Advertising Association of Nepal each year to recognize excellence in marketing. ENPHO invited people to help the POU advertisement win the prestigious award and thus promote POU water treatment through voting by sending an SMS text message.

A variety of promotional materials such as posters, brochures, pamphlets, stickers, health and hygiene bag kit, caps and monthly planners have been produced. These materials are being distributed through municipalities and partner organisations.

Promote Piyush chlorine solution at subsidised rate

Innovative communication tools have been used to spread the word on safe water and to promote Piyush chlorine solution to treat water at home. A total of 20 scrolling display boards have been placed at schools, restaurants and other relevant places in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. 'Piyush' is sold to the public at subsidised rate as part of ENPHO’s campaign to raise awareness about household water treatment. ENPHO is conducting a baseline survey to see how much consumers know about POU options and how much they use them. This will question 1,000 households from Kathmandu Valley, Hetauda, Bharatpur, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar.

ENPHO has been producing and marketing Piyush in Nepal since 1994 as a scientifically tested, affordable and convenient alternative to water treatment for safe drinking purposes. The organisation is getting support for this ‘use safe water’ mass awareness campaign from the Academy for Educational Development (AED-NMark Nepal). Other advertisements are included on hoarding boards, and PIYUSH use is also promoted through radio jingles on various FM radio stations. ENPHO aims sell 300,000 Piyush bottles in the current financial year.

Billboard dispaying PIUYSH use in Kathmadu Valley, Photo:ENPHO

Bhushan Tuladhar, ENPHO, e-mail rc@enpho.org

Tags: advocacy, information and communication, south asia, water quality, water treatment