Page 9 - 5-Issue_Tata_Water_Mission

toILEt CovERAgE
Dec 2017: 72%
May 2018: 99%

Swachhagrahis in inter-personal
communication so they could effectively
drive home the message of proper sanitation.
Swathi’s emphasis was on improving
the emotional connection between the
Swacchagrahis and the community. She
stressed the need to deliver an emotional
rather than practical message – the villagers
had to understand the socio-economic losses
due to improper sanitation, especially the effect
on their children’s health. The message had
to revolve around real-life examples so that
people could relate to it.
It was a soul-enriching
LEttIng PEoPLE LEAD experience that broadened
Swathi’s efforts paid off – the freshly-motivated my perspective
SBM team soon identified leaders from various
sections of society, including the aged, the Swathi K, prerak
differently-abled and even transgenders, to nagapattinam, tamil nadu
lead the movement against open defecation at
grassroots level. A School Sanitation Leaders
Group was also established in schools by surroundings, especially aanganwadi toilets
drawing a student from every class. This group and the cowsheds, clean. Their backyard
fanned out in the villages and spread the vegetable gardens are now being cultivated
message of proper sanitation. Swachhagrahis using the generated bio-waste. Swathi
monitored their progress through weekly considers the change in the people’s attitude
group discussions. her most significant victory.“ Being a prerak is
the kind of experience that I always dreamt of,”
A tHoRougH tRAnSfoRMAtIon she says.
Under Swathi’s leadership, the SBM team has Ask the Civil Services aspirant about
been more than successful in its endeavours. the high points of her stint, and she fondly
The district is now close to becoming open recollects participating in the ‘Chalo
defecation free with only about 300 toilets Champaran’ campaign in Bihar in April
remaining to be constructed. 2018. “It was a soul-enriching experience
The villagers have embraced more than as I interacted with preraks from different
the eradication of open defecation. In Erukkur states and gained more knowledge about the
village near Cuddalore, the villagers no longer challenges and experiences of working in
wait for the government to intervene. They different rural set-ups. It has broadened
have taken up the responsibility to keep their my perspective.” ˜

TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative 9