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did not have adequate staff or necessary
infrastructure.
A tougH RoAD foR CHAngE
Aalia began by drafting the annual
implementation plan and the IEC (information,
education and communication) calendar. Aalia Ali is happy that the wheels of change have
Initially the thrust was on creating awareness been set in motion
to bring about behavioural change in the
populace. Villages that had witnessed zero I was conservatively dressed and started
demand for toilet construction and those conversing more in rustic Hindi to establish a
which were on the threshold of being declared connect with villagers,” she said.
ODF were targeted in the initial phase. As a result of the efforts by Aalia and the
“From organising street plays, SBM team, Kanpur Dehat started witnessing a
puppetry shows, workshops to teach proper shift. The IEC initiatives slowly but gradually
hand washing techniques to letter writing gathered traction, which was reflected in the
competitions, we used all avenues to increase increase in awareness levels in the district.
awareness and trigger change,” she said. As more and more Swacchagrahis swelled the
Even as she toiled hard to change the ranks of the SBM brigade, construction of
mindset of the rural public, Aalia also had toilets gathered pace and there was a drop in
to fight to convince her co-workers about people defecating in the open.
the importance of sanitation. Even the Vikas As of May 2018, the coverage hovered
Bhawan, which housed the SBM office, had just at 74%, 115 villages had become ODF while
one toilet for females, which was rarely cleaned. another 250 were on the way to achieving the
Understanding well that change had to status. Aalia and the SBM authorities had set
begin at home, Aalia took up the matter with an ambitious target of making the district ODF
higher ups and succeeded in ensuring the regular by October 2, 2018.
cleaning of the toilets. Going a step forward, she Aalia’s efforts not only helped improve
even enlisted the district staff to clean the Vikas the overall health rate of the district, but also
Bhavan and maintain its cleanliness. had other benefits too. “The dropout rate of
girls decreased substantially due to the thrust
A CHAngE foR gooD on sanitation and availability of clean toilets in
The 24-year-old also had to transform herself schools,” she said.
to effectively lead the mission. “Since many Acknowledging that she faces an uphill
staff members were very senior to me, I task to make the district ODF, Aalia says,
always made it a point to request rather than “Change has started happening and it is just a
order them. That was not the only switch I matter of time when the district achieves the
made. I had to change my wardrobe to ensure ODF status,” asserts Aalia.
toILEtS ConStRuCtED
l Total number of toilets as on June 2017: 2,19,097
l Total number of toilets as on June 2018: 2,91,061
TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts InitiativeTATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative 5 5