Accelerating Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA II) project aims to achieve sustained access to basic sanitation and safe water supplies, as well as the long-term adoption of hygiene practices, across 10 focus countries. ASWA II builds upon the momentum achieved through ASWA I.

The project aims to improve the health, nutrition and wellbeing of the vulnerable population in 14 rural districts especially women and girls through sustained use of safe water supplies, sanitation service and sustained adoption of hygiene practices.

To achieve this humanitarian goal, OpenSteetMap Bangladesh Foundation (OSMBDF) is collaborating in creating GIS based WASH Inventory by facilitating training on data collection process using aswa ii apk.

On 7th May 2019, a sunny Tuesday of Summer we the three me along with Atikur Rahman and Md. Samsul Arafin of OpenStreetMap Bangladesh Foundation (OSMBDF) team had given a hands on training on ASWA ii apk in the orientation on Wash Inventory, implemented by UNICEF-NGO Forum, at the Hall Room of Sadarpur union, Faridpur . It was one of my memorable days, the day was the very first day of the month of Holy Ramadan.

We reached the training spot after a sweet of 36 km long journey by Mahindra auto rickshaw enjoying the beauty of nature and the scenery of Faridpur at 11:00 O’clock at Bhashanchar Union Parishad. A group of young people were waiting for our arrival.

We started our training with the UNICEF WASH officer, NGO Forum representatives, field supervisors as well as the volunteers, who are the warriors of field operation of ASWA ii project. Our Atik Vai lead the training and me as well as Md. Samsul Arafin assist him in the Session. The training was about what is ASWA ii apk, how it works, how to create forms, how to fill, how to synchronize data, adding GPS location, how to take image, the credential of the form, how to upload and synchronize and about the update about the apk.

The participants were very decent and cooperative by listening, asking logical questions as well as practising a lot in indoor and outdoor. We showed a demo on the how data will be stored in the server by showing their demo data in the server to enlighten them in digital survey.

During this session some difficulties we had to face like internet connectivity issues, electricity issue, poor technology knowhow of both volunteers and supervisors, fresh new volunteers, unsupported devices were the most notable of them.

Despite of these issues we successfully trained both the participants, supervisors and the organizers by a 3.5 hours long session. After the Session the WASH Officer of UNICEF and the representative of NGO Forum expressed their satisfaction about the session.
Finally I want to thank OpenstreetMap Bangladesh Foundation (OSMBDF) for giving me such an opportunity to increase my knowledge and ability for my better future .