GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2020, Online: ISSN 2320-9186 www.globalscientificjournal.com COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT WITH COMMUNITY BASED WATER SOCI- ETIES IN RURAL AREAS DRIVING THEM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EQUIPPING FOR DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY DIALOGUE Daluwatte D. D. S, Sivakumar.S.S, Francis Mutua Author is currently pursuing masters’ degree program in electric power engineering in University of Jaffna. E-mail: dimuthustc@gmail.com, Co auther 1; Department of Civil Engineering.University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, sssivakumar@eng.jfn.ac.lk Co auther 2; University of Nirobi, Kinya, fmmutua@gmail.com KeyWords Community Based Water Societies, Safe drinking water, Community empowerment, Community development Community Participation, Sus- tainability ABSTRACT In the world, 780 million people are suffering due to lack of safe drinking water. Sixth goal of the sustainable development goal is declared on safe drinking water for all. Community based water projects are initiating in the world to provide water for people in rural areas. This particular step is the point of empowering people for their development. Community empowerment as a long lasting process will be achieved through community participation leading them for community development. Empowering leads them for critical thinking, capacity building and power finally leading them for a policy dialogues to achieve their development by themselves. GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2020 ISSN 2320-9186 518 GSJ© 2020 www.globalscientificjournal.com