Report: Toilets for 199 families funded by Charity Water

Over 3 billion people on the planet are without adequate means of disposing of their wastes. This project, funded by Charity:Waters brings toilets and bathing rooms to three villages in two districts of Orissa.

Gram Vikas’ interventions start with gaining 100% consensus in the village, which is a non-negotiable requirement. It ensures the whole village benefits from the development process, irrespective of class, caste, or gender, as well as improving the effectiveness of the programme. Even if one family continues to defecate in open spaces and wash in water sources, it will have a negative impact on the entire village. Once every household is committed to the project, then the building of the toilets and bathing rooms for each family in the village begins.

Every village is required to raise a corpus fund, of on average Rs. 1000 per family; the interest is used to extend the same facilities to new households as the village grows. Construction of the water supply does not begin until every household has completed the brickwork of their sanitation block. The water supply system acts as a “carrot” for completing the toilets and bathing rooms. In addition a lot of effort goes into motivating men, women and children to use and maintain the toilets appropriately. Good hygienic habits are taught; hand washing and nail cutting, as well as maintaining the cleanliness of village surroundings. At the same time, Gram Vikas builds the capacities of the village institution to manage their sanitation and water supply systems.