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development officers made presentations toILEt CovERAGE
detailing SBM’s progress to the District
Collector. This helped enhance ownership. On 20/5/2017: 32%
Maitree was taken aback when she found On 17/5/2018: 73.07%
that the administrative offices themselves
lacked toilets. She arranged masonry training
at the block level and had toilets built in each SwACHHtA DARPAn RAnk
office as part of practical classes.
On 20/5/2017: 6 th
foRGInG nEw fRIEnDSHIPS On 17/5/2018: 4 th
Setting aside their political affiliations, Maitree
and the SBM team maintained close contact
with all the local political parties. “When we no of SwACHHAGRAHI
go to a village or panchayat, we are unable On 20/5/2017: 249
to understand the dynamics. Political party
members help us identify actual beneficiaries; On 17/5/2018: 858
sometimes because of the criteria, actual needy
people drop off the list.” vILLAGES oDf
When cultural norms proved a challenge
— allowing men the privilege of toilets and On 20/5/2017: 53
asking women to go out in the open — On 17/5/2018: 214
Maitree and team took help from the Social
Welfare Department, child care and health
staff to launch a massive menstrual hygiene
management campaign, using shame as a training. Now, more than 500 women masons
potent weapon. Maitree also roped in village — affectionately called ranimistris (or queen
heads, who asked shopkeepers to put up masons) — have secure livelihoods due to the
boards proclaiming, “I only sell to those who training initiative.
use toilets.” Maitree also found time to tackle matters
Another innovative approach was other than SBM targets. She created breast-
the swachhata savera samagam or morning feeding corners in district and block offices
cleanliness meetings, in which the team for lactating mothers. It is a first-of-a-kind
requested people to come and have breakfast initiative in the state and among the few in
with them and speak about their sanitation the country. She has also helped promote
efforts and experiences. Hand-washing day, sustainable segregation of daily waste in many
toilet day, women’s day, swachhata champions, panchayats.
swachhata awards and other campaigns also Today, Maitree looks back with pride
improved targets. The team’s emphasis on and nostalgia at the year gone by and remarks,
building toilets for people with disabilities lead “I learnt a lot. I knew nothing when I landed
to Bokaro winning the Swachhta Hi Sewa award. here. How processes and governance systems
When a shortage of masons was work, efforts are channelised, basic lacunae are
experienced, women empowerment was addressed, to tackle people and get them to
woven into the campaigns through masonry work, and so on.”
TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative 9