Initiatives

Extreme heat is among the world’s most dangerous climate hazards. As global warming worsens with every passing year, heat fragility in climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh has risen noticeably. Metropolitan cities like Dhaka are affected to a greater extent owing to the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’ - a condition caused by the rapid urbanization and unplanned reduction of natural spaces in cities. 

In 2024, Bangladesh witnessed its highest temperature recorded in over 50 years and its longest heat wave till date. Low-income communities, with limited access to cooling facilities and adequate WASH services, are among the worst affected. Informal workers like day laborers, rickshaw pullers, street vendors, etc. depend on daily wages to sustain their lives and are unable to take days off even during dangerously hot days. Remaining constantly hydrated is a critical coping mechanism against heat stress, but safe drinking water can be relatively expensive and not readily available in Dhaka’s public spaces. 

BL's initiative addresses this issue by improving water accessibility for low-income residents of Dhaka. Partnering with Drinkwell and Light to Life, the project will be providing 400 community members with water-ATM cards, each recharged with 50 BDT. This allows entire households to access filtered, safe drinking water at an affordable rate during the heat season, ensuring sustainability and long-term benefits beyond the project's duration. The intervention would allow the beneficiary’s entire household to get access to filtered, safe drinking water at 80 paisa per litre during Dhaka’s heat season. 

Safe water is a human right. By targeting vulnerable community members, BL’s signature initiative this heat season will not only attempt to improve heat-protection but bring much-needed attention to the growing socio-economic divide among Dhaka’s residents - where what one takes for granted is another’s luxury.

Activities

1. Volunteer Training: Collaborate with local grassroots organizations to identify and train volunteers to effectively distribute water ATM cards.

2. ATM Card Distribution: Community members receive free water - ATM cards to get access to filtered water.

3. Drinking Water: Distribute safe, filtered drinking water to vulnerable community members and their families.