Sanitation is an indispensable part of WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene cycle). The PNGO/UP staffs engaged at the Union level are the key promoters of sanitation. They are formally trained to provide education to the communities with the help of local volunteers. The staff and volunteers organized regular sessions with people, organized in groups (called CDF in HYSAWA programme). Emphasis is usually given to families who are still defecating openly and or using unhygienic latrines. Over 850,000 hygienic latrines either newly built or improved by the community with their own resources.
Some of the activities related to promotion of hygienic sanitation are:
- In each intervened Union three female staff are engaged either through a partner NGO or directly by the Parishad.
- These staff after receiving basic training from HYSAWA starts formation of community groups consisting of 25-30 households; these groups are called CDF in HYSAWA programme.
- All households in a Union come under these CDFs
- A baseline is drawn in each CDF using PRA exercise; The communities are briefed about four basic criterion of hygienic latrines, communities then themselves mark their latrines red or green on the map and vows to upgrade their status
- Some volunteers from each community are identified and given training on different WASH approaches including sanitation. These volunteers mainly peruse/motivate the houses to upgrade their latrines and its proper use and maintenance.
- The PNGO/UP staff along with community volunteers conducts series of court-yard sessions among others on hygienic latrines.
- Latrines are physically observed periodically and upgrades are redrawn on the map by the community
- Community volunteers are awarded for their achievements mainly on improvement of sanitation in his/her community
- Popular Meena shows and other educational videos are played at the community level
- Live Drama shows with messages related to sanitation are organized at public places
- Useful BCC materials are used for awareness.
- Similar demonstration sessions are also conducted on hygienic hand wash, menstrual hygiene, food hygiene, garbage disposal etc,
Along with interventions at the community level, HYSAWA promotes School based program. The school brigades are formed with senior students who then provided education to the junior students. Teachers were also closely involved. Children also learnt how to use toilets. Student brigade and teachers also monitor cleanliness of these facilities. Popular videos shows and dram are played, Specially designed educative ‘Ludu’ game boards are distributed and completions’ are organized.
On the Sanitation month in October, special events are organized both at community and Schools. The activities includes different competitions, physical verification of latrines and instant up gradation, cleaning of latrines, motivational campaigns etc.
Community/Public Sanitation
In addition, emphasis is given to improve school latrines. The old ones are renovated to improve water supply (piped-water) and safety tanks or new ones are constructed where either no or inadequate latrine was available. The outer and inner walls are tiled to avoid rusting and damage caused by salinity. Community /Public latrines were Identified and installed in 1100 schools or public places. On test basis, some latrines Infrastructures are designed to be user-friendly for people with disabilities.
