Along with the
construction of toilets and the creation of a sanitation complex in each of the
schools in the three villages, the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI) is
focusing on the development of a primary school curriculum to teach children
about the importance of personal hygiene.
A “Safai Sadhak” living in each village has been hired to facilitate
this integrated and holistic process.
Every week, one school day is devoted to engaging students in a dialogue
about how everyone can participate in creating the best school, the best homes
and the best village possible. The
school sessions use various approaches to engaging the students, including
“Ideal Home,” “Ideal School” and “Ideal Village” competitions as well as
action-based learning.
Part of Suresh Bhai’s
service work with ESI is to help seed values, practice and habits of
sanitation; and let the action spring forth as a result of the values. As part
of this, he has set up an experimental program in three of Gujarat’s villages –
Amiyapur, Pedhamali and Vanthal. His goal is to develop these villages into
‘model villages’ through extensive interaction at multiple levels, and change
the hearts and minds of the people first, in order to make the practice
self-sustaining. In turn, these villages would be examples for other villages,
and word about sustainable sanitation can spread by word-of-mouth from village
to village. He believes that the word about this will spread organically to
multiple locations, and the neighboring villages will gain their own
inspiration by watching the ‘model’ villages.
Compared to typical NGO
programs that involve ‘government programs with people’s participation’, the
idea is to change the hearts and minds of people by creating ‘people’s programs
with government participation’ – that is, the initiative would be owned and
operated by the people, with financing from the government. Thus, Suresh bhai’s
‘program’ involves getting to knowing the villagers, and building minds and
mutual understanding, and to take responsibility for improving their village;
rather than building the facilities for them. By reaching out to their hearts
and connecting deeply, and demonstrating goodwill through small acts of
kindness and service, Suresh bhai finds it easier to change habits. His demonstrations
of sanitary facilities through his Nandini van. Usually convince people of the
benefits of improved sanitation practices. Once the seed and motivation is
sown, it becomes easier for people to begin to take responsibility for
improving their families, homes and villages. This has inspired the villagers
in Amiyapur, Pedhamali and Vanthal to create their own model villages. The
villagers petition the government for financial help while demonstrating their
own motivation and independence, creating an ideal system where the drive is
from within, thus improving possibilities of sustainability.
Suresh bhai’s first step
involves visiting villages and setting up personal connections, and becoming
aaprt of the village. After convincing the villagers about his mission being
beneficial, and with the villagers as the primary drivers, as described in
Article 1, he obtains agreement from all
of them to set up a systematic program for the village’s sanitation and
beautification.
Following that, an initial
survey of the basic practice in the village is performed. Baseline Survey: A KAP survey that obtains
information about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice. This is through speaking
with individual householders, panchayat leaders, school teachers, anganwadi
workers, all at the personal level to understand the current state of
sanitation in the village.
Two key types of practice
have been established to complement Suresh bhai’s visits and to keep a
continuous, ongoing practice of sanitation in each village. The first is the
establishment of safaisainiks who are
local representatives within the village, and the second the visits of various
volunteer groups who perform hands-on service in the villages.
No comments:
Post a Comment