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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

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