Workshop cum Rally on “role of water and sanitation, towards healthy living” was organized by the women department Sümi Baptist Church Zunheboto (SBCZ) under the aegis of WSSO, PHED Nagaland here in DC Hill Colony Prayer Fellowship Zunheboto, Tuesday.
Sr pastor SBCZ, Rev Yevito Sümi graced the occasion as the chief guest. In his brief speech Rev Yevito stressed on “the divine gift of water one of the greatest creation towards the mankind and living objects”.
While dwelling on topic (sanitation), he maintained that, “sanitation and hygiene/cleanliness go hand in hand and one cannot discard either of them”. “more than 1.2 billion of the world populations are living under poor sanitation and unhygienic lifestyles in which our country India tops the list population wise as per the WHO”, highlighted the chief guest.
In conclusion, he added that the poor sanitation and unhygienic lifestyles had invited many waterborne illnesses/diseases and urged the womenfolk to be careful and aware of those consequences.
The first session was held under the “sanitation” topic with Er Vinili Sema as the resource person. Er. Vinili presented a brief introduction and synopsis of “sanitation and hygiene” and the launching of total sanitation program by the government back in 1990s. She firstly stressed and deliberated on disposal of urine wastes which is one of the worst challenges to sanitation and hygiene. And secondly, highlighted on the usage and disposal of bio degradable and non bio degradable items.
She concluded with a note saying, “personal hygiene/sanitation and community/locality sanitation should go hand in hand or else it will hardly yield positive outcome”, while urging the womenfolk to “keep in mind of our surroundings/locality beyond our residences which we fail to initiate and confine only in our respective residence/boundaries”.
It was followed by a special song by Boloto Achumi finalist SSS-I and duo.
In the second session, chemist PHED Zunheboto Benathung Tsopie conducted workshop on “water quality”. Tsopie in his speech categorized the water quality in three different parameters namely — physical parameters such as visibility, color or smell; secondly, chemical and metal contents and lastly bacterial and other pest invisible by naked eyes.
He also dwelt on various water borne diseases and highlighted the remedy, prevention and cure of various water borne diseases.
He said that, “women are the most primary tools towards advocacy for water quality and its usage since, as per the survey 70% of waters are handled by the women”.
He exhorted the womenfolkto “be the ambassadors of clean water quality and spread the message to their respective family members and the community too” in his concluding remarks.
Earlier, the program was marked by a marathon rally, where hundreds of womenfolk mostly mothers braved the showers and drizzles by mile-long march holding placards.
The rally was followed by a formal/workshop sessions led by assistant pastor SBCZ, Vikali Zhimo and began with associate pastor youth, SBCZ Vetoni Zhimo who offered Bible reading and invocations.
It was followed by introduction, presentation and keynote address by women pastor Kasheli Rotokha who also extended vote of thanks. Hundreds of women from all the eleven (11) colonies in Zunheboto town attended the program.