Role of Sanitation Microfinance on the Improvement of Sanitation Condition and Nutrition Condition of Under-five Children in Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: The sanitation requirement for the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is to certify household better sanitation, and it is the target of SDGs. Developed sanitation is that which ensures the hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact. The Government of Bangladesh has a strategy to safeguard sanitation at an agreeable level for all by 2030. Aim of the study: The study aims to investigate the relationship between sanitation microfinance and sanitation condition in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in each district of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Khulna from August 2019 to September 2019 for five weeks Semi-structured questionnaires and face did data collection face interview techniques from the head of households. Verbal consent was taken before recruiting the study population. Completed data forms were reviewed, edited, and processed for computer data entry. The data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 25.0, two-sample ttest, binary probit model. Result: Among 120 participant households and 120 non-participant households in this microfinance program, household satisfaction in sanitation conditions among microfinance households is good. Microfinance is applicable for low economic households, where the annual income was 1501 to 3000 USD (I USD=84 local currency). Both sanitation outcomes and nutrition outcomes had a strong association with sanitation microfinance(p<.05). With sanitation microfinance improved sanitation outcome (76.67%) is more than that without microfinance (47.50%). On the other hand, the nutrition condition of under-five children at the household level with sanitation microfinance was more (90%) than that of without microfinance (48.47%). Conclusion: Earning the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to split the number of people without access to enhanced sanitation presents a substantial challenge for evolving and least developed countries. The 1st known search into the potential of microfinance to unleash latent claims for sanitation improvements among low-income households in a developing country.