News

Dated: 12th July 2024
SIGMA Foundation was invited to attend the workshop on “Assessing climate extremes-induced risk for the WASH and Health sectors in India” organised by CEEW and UNICEF on 9th July, 2024 at Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. This day-long workshop addressing the challenges at the intersection of water, sanitation, hygiene, and climate change in the health sector is a critical endeavor and a major domain of interest for SIGMA. It was an enriching and enlightening experience, and SIGMA is grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it. The workshop was a platform for robust discussions and knowledge exchange with fellow attendees to develop innovative solutions to the indicator selection and ranking on WASH and climate extremes-induced risk assessment. The sessions were highly informative, with expert speakers presenting the latest research. The workshop also promoted the need for strong policies and advocacy to support WASH and climate change initiatives in collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations which is essential to drive meaningful change. SIGMA is inspired by the collective commitment to advancing WASH and climate change agendas and look forward to applying the knowledge gained in upcoming works.

Dated: 3rd July 2024

A chapter titled “Pale and Frail: Failing Status of Indian Women in Anemia and Nutrition” was published on June 29, 2024, by Springer Nature in the book named “Public Health and Diseases: A Geographic Study of Women’s Health, Urban Mortality and Health Policies”. Mayuri Sen and Sangram Mukherjee, both part of the SIGMA Foundation research team, authored the chapter jointly. The chapter discusses the disconcerting and lingering issue of low haemoglobin levels in women of childbearing age in India, despite various governmental initiatives in this regard for quite a long time. Consecutive rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data starting from NFHS 2 has been used to analyse the spatiotemporal changes that occurred during the period, and NFHS 5 data as cross-sectional data to examine the determinants of anaemia. Surprisingly, it was also found that despite the faltering haemoglobin levels, the proportion of women of childbearing age in India with Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than normal has consistently increased across each round of NFHS starting from 10.6% during NFHS-2 to 24% according to NFHS-5. This indicates that the problem lies more in the imbalance and lack of dietary diversity among women than the scarcity of food. The Digital Object Identifier for the paper is https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57762-8_7

Dated: 24th June, 2024

SIGMA Foundation with grants from Sign of Hope (Hoffnungszeichen e.V.), Germany has taken an initiative to improve water security of that GP. The interventions will include preparation of a Water Security Plan for the GP, building capacity of the GP to take up activities for sustainable water security as per the proposed plan, monilize the community for their participation in Climate Resilient Water Management (CRWM) and demonstration of technology for water conservation, roof top rainwater harvesting, artificial groundwater recharging at a deeper level, recycling of used water, artifical.

A meeting to brief the GP members about the project and kick start the project activities was organized in the GP office on the 07/06/2024. Professionals of SIGMA Foundation explained the criticality of groundwater, sustainability of the source used for drinking, rapid decline of the groundwater level and how much it has gone down in past few years, possible ways to conserve water etc. and how the project will help to address the issues. This helped them understand the need for proper planning for water security.

The meeting was followed by a field visit of the SIGMA team along with the GP functionaries for identification of potential sites for the installation of the Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting structures based on different site-specific parameters. As the preparation of the water security plan was a new area for the GPs, training of all the GP functionaries on water security and CRWM is going to be scheduled in the first week of July.

Dated: 6th May, 2024

SIGMA Foundation conducted a study on child trafficking in the North-Eastern states with focus on Assam. The study was commissioned by the North East Diocesan Social Service Society (NEDSSS) with support from Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Based on the findings, a project named ‘Suraksha’ has been conceived by CRS to combat child trafficking in the state, which is being implemented by NEDSSS on a pilot basis in Sorupani Gram Panchayat of Golaghat district of Assam, before the same is scaled up. The project envisages interventions at the levels of the adolescents, their parents, and the community. The expected result of the project is that the vulnerable children in the ages 12-17 years and their families living in the project area will have improved resilience to mitigate the risks of trafficking.
SIGMA Foundation was selected for conducting a baseline study to assess the status of the risk factors of child trafficking, keeping in mind the proposed interventions to mitigate the risk through the Suraksha project. The field work for the assessment, following a mixed method, has been conducted by SIGMA Foundation in the month of January and February 2024.
The final report has been shared with NEDSSS and CRS. The report provides the status of key indicators for the adolescents, their parents/family and the community level. Several recommendations have been made for successful implementation of the pilot project.

Dated: 30th April 2024

A research paper titled “Groundwater and climate smart agriculture: a reflection from West Bengal, India”, written by Dr. M. N. Roy, Dr. S. Das, R. Mitra and Dr. D. Mukherjee, has been published on 29.04 2024 by Springer Nature B.V. in the leading international cross-disciplinary journal on responses to environmental change, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. The article explores the reasons for the low level of adaptation to climate change among farmers and discusses the potential solutions to make climate smart agriculture viable in India, in the context of water resource management. The paper discusses the debate on water markets, the importance of ‘gender-smart’ approaches, extension services, ownership of local government and community participation in ensuring adaptation. The article can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-024-10137-1

Date: 1st April, 2024

This study was undertaken across the three countries of India, Nepal and Bangladesh as a baseline to a proposed intervention project titled MUKTI South Asia funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons implemented by ECPAT Luxembourg and its partners. The study sought to establish a baseline point on the following expected project outcomes:
– Improved coordination exists among state and civil society anti-TIP stakeholders (from community to national levels) to ensure resources are effectively managed and distributed to survivors of child sex trafficking.
Strengthened victim centred services provide more responsive and needs based assistance to survivors of child sex trafficking.
– Using the mixed method design, the study surveyed 375 vulnerable adolescent girls, 116 survivors of child sex trafficking and 223 community level stakeholders. Qualitative data was collected from 90 government and NGO functionaries (in-depth individual interviews), 150 mothers (focus-group discussion) and 21 survivors of child trafficking (case studies).

The study was done jointly with SFC Social Development Forum, a partner of SIGMA Foundation.

Date: 24th February, 2024

SIGMA Foundation is excited to share that a case study on “Self-Sufficient Community – Run Water Supply Scheme at the Foothills of Himalayas: Swajaldhara Piped Water Supply Scheme, Sisodangi Gulma Tea Estate, Darjeeling” authored by Dr. Debasri Mukherjee (Sr. Research Officer), Dr. M.N. Roy (President), Er. Sohini Tarafdar (Research officer), Mr. Rupam Mondal (Field Officer) and Mr. Kabirul Islam (Field Officer) has been published in the dynamic international Case Study series of Everything About Water (EAW) with Magazine title of “Collection of the Best Global Municipal and Industrial Case Studies, 15th A Collector’s Edition Case Study, Special Annual Issue 2023” (REG No; DELENG/ 2001/3092). Everything About Water is India’s First and the Most Read Water & Waste Water Magazine with 52% Circulation, 36 end user industry and 12% international reach. The case study issue showcases practical content from industry veterans, experienced end-users and global water researchers. It also bag’s the title of India’s biggest annual water directory with maximum reach of 77,000 water professional’s readership and year long shelf life.

Date: 22nd February, 2024

UNICEF has partnered with SIGMA Foundation to sustain Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and to also manage solid and liquid waste scientifically, known as ODF plus activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II. Further, the related services should be improved to make those Climates Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable (CCES). This will be done in 10 selected Gram Panchayats (GPs) of Malda, Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas. First the status of ODF and its sustainability and that of ODF Plus services will be assessed through field survey and that will be followed by 2-days training of the GP officials and other stakeholders to plan for improvement of the system as a part of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). Training programme has started from the 19th February in Murshidabad and the same will be taken up in other districts from the week starting from 26th February. The participants are being trained on various aspects of ODF sustainability, ODF plus and CCES and the gap that exists based on field survey by SIGMA Foundation. The second day starts with a transect walk in the village for the participants to identify the gaps after they are capacitated to assess the same in the first day and that is followed by a participatory exercise to document all the gaps and possible improvement. The interventions required for improvement will be done by designing appropriate schemes to be included under GPDP 2024-25 and those for subsequent years. Experts of SIGMA Foundation will mentor the GPs for 4 months to build the capacity of the GPs.

Dated: 9th February, 2024
We are immensely proud to announce that one of our publications by our research stalwarts, Dr. Debasri Mukherjee (Sr. Research Officer) and Dr. M. N. Roy (President) have been published in the globally prestigious journal named World Focus (Peer reviewed) under special issue of COP 28, UAE, Climate Change and Global Warming.
The work was presented in Indian Science Congress, January 2020 and then it went on a journey for international publication. It reflected the community driven action points in Indian context which also supported the COP 28 recommendations.
Publication title is “Decentralized Water Governance Mobilizing Community towards Sustainable Development Goal – 6 by 2030″, January 2024, ISSN 2230 – 8458, E-ISSN 2351 – 5063, US Library Congress Number 909/0345.

Date: 31st January, 2024
SIGMA Foundation was engaged as an Independent Support Agency (ISA) for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in October 2021 for a period of one year. The engagement has been renewed in 2022 and 2023 and this is the third year of continuous support that SIGMA Foundation has been providing to Aurangabad Zilla Parishad. Several activities have been taken up by SIGMA Foundation from the beginning of its functioning as ISA.

At the beginning of implementation of JJM in Aurangabad district, which started in Gangapur Taluka of the district) the team focused on strengthening the VWSC (Village Water Sanitation Committee) and helped them to open account so that public contribution can be deposited. The team mobilized the people and made them aware of the JJM and the PWSS to ensure that 10% of the fund required to install the Piped Water Supply System (PWSS) is deposited by the potential consumers as their share. Simultaneously, survey was conducted in the command area of the PWSS covering the GP to prepare a layout plan of the proposed PWSS so that every household can be provided with Functional House Tap Connection (FHTC) and the survey data was used to prepare the DPR for the PWSS by Aurangabad Zilla Parishad.

After preparation of DPR, the team visited each Villages in the Gangapur Taluka of Aurangabad District. They were in continuous touch with the Gram Panchayats and the villagers, advised and monitored the depth of excavation for laying pipeline, the bedding of soil, location of cattle trough etc. as per DPR and follow progress using a recap sheet.

The team closely monitored the pipe laying work right from when the layout was given which followed excavation and then pipe laying and eventually provided connection to the water supply through FHTC. About 13000 FHTCs have been provided under supervision of SIGMA Foundation officials since the project started.

The team also remained responsible for uploading the data in the E- Jal Shakti Website and Geo-tagging the source of water and the location of the ESR (Elevated Service Reservoir). The work has been completed in almost 210 villages of Gangapur block.

The other important work taken up by SIGMA Foundation was testing water quality for both chemical and bacteriological parameters and train. More than 500 women (Anganwadi worker or supervisor, ASHA and Jal Surakshak), covering the entire block, have been trained by our team so far.