ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION INSTITUTE
Vision
The Environmental Sanitation
Institute (ESI) envisions an India
Ideology and Strategy
ESI is founded on ideologies that
encompass the spiritual, mental and physical well-being of people and their
environment. Based on Gandhian values,
ESI focuses on environment and eradication of untouchability. The institute encourages community
participation and takes a demand-driven approach to providing sanitary
facilities in order to ensure their appropriate use. The technologies designed and promoted by ESI
are based on ecological sanitation, thus maintaining the environment while
meeting basic human needs.
A Holistic Approach
ESI tackles the problems of
sanitation with a holistic vision; sanitation awareness will lead to better
health, improved education and a stronger economy of the whole country.
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ESI
and Tata Housing Partnership
As per MOU between Smart Value Homes
and Environmental Sanitation Institute
dated 29th. March, 2013. ESI has accepted an invitation from Tata Housing
to partner together for the improvement of sanitation habits and facilities in
three villages in Kalol block, Gandhinagar District - Vadasar, Moti bhoyan and
Khatraj. Tata Housing is currently developing a large housing complex in the
area and is investing in the quality of life in the surrounding villages
through this partnership. Tata Housing will supports for infrastructure, while
the ESI team focuses on developing relationships through which to inspire habit
change and increased awareness of sanitation issues.
Village
Descriptions
All three villages are
located in Kalol block, which is a largely industrial area. Many migrants have settled in the area, drawn
by the factory work available nearby. In
Khatraj, nearly half the villagers are migrants. In addition to the facilities
described below, each village has one primary school and a village panchayat (local government)
office. All the villages have readily
available good quality drinking water. The statistics below were provided by
the gram panchayat office.
Vadsar
Population:
6,000
Toilets:
40% of homes
Facilities:
4 preschools; community garden (funded by Tata Housing); WASMO (Water and
Sanitation Management Organisation) supported village, with regulated drinking
water supply.
Moti
bhoyan
Population:
9,500
Toilets:
33% of homes
Facilities:
5 preschools
Khatraj
Population: 3,700
Toilets:
59% of homes
Facilities:
2 pre schools, AUDA (Ahmedabad Urban Development Association) has provided a
garbage collection container.
ESI
activities in Village
As per MoU between Smart Value
Homes and Environmental Sanitation Institute, dated 29 March 2013, ESI started
their activities in Vadsar, Motibhoyan and Khatraj on 9 April, 2013 with
rapport establishment visits, and followed up with a three-day visit to each
village with the Nandini van.
Rapport
establishment
Three or four visits by
two ESI kariya karta (dedicated
workers) were conducted to each of the 3 villages, to make a first contact and
then begin to build trusting relationships with community leaders. Building meaningful connections with gram panchayat leaders, preschool
workers, school teachers, ASHA workers and other village leaders can be a
lengthy process but creates the possibility for lasting change that is driven
from within. These relationships also provide a solid support network for the Nandini team when they arrive, providing
basic amenities such as homestays for volunteers, electricity for multimedia presentations
and assuring that the team is in touch with the pulse of the village.
Service and Awareness Activities by Nandini Mobile Van
The Nandini Service on Wheels team began the awareness campaign with a three day visit to each of the villages: 7th to 9th May in Vadsar; 27th to 29th May in Moti bhoyan and 30th, 31st May and 1st June in Khatraj. The activities in each of the villages followed roughly the same program, described here below.
The Nandini Mobile Van team consists of people from diverse
origins, all motivated by the desire to serve the village people
selflessly. ESI staff members, domestic
and international volunteers come together to experience and understand village
culture and perform whatever small acts of service they can. Most having
completed extensive higher education, they are moved by the desire to learn
from the village way of life.
First Day:
9:30
Arrival and introductions.
The Nandini van was
parked in the centre of the village, near the panchayat office and volunteers began by cleaning the surrounding
area. Sweeping is an important first impression, a concrete display of the
value we place on cleanliness, service and humility and an opportunity to lead
by example. We then set up the
exhibition on water, sanitation, health, and environment which remained in the
public area for the duration of our stay.
The displays also included models of toilets and soak pits.
My
Feet is tired, but my boot is rested.
Morning:
Lok Sampark,
“contact with the
people.” Domestic and international volunteers working with the Nandini staff
toured the village to make an initial contact with villagers. This included giving respect to elderly
people, small acts of kindness like giving a hand with washing dishes and
greeting people with a smile. Throughout
the village, we introduced ourselves and explain the purpose of our visit.
Noon:
Tours
Villagers were invited inside the van to see
the “ideal home” and model toilet set up inside. We also took the opportunity to speak about
village issues, sanitation and the humble efforts of Tata Housing.
Afternoon:
Dustbin project:-With the help of villagers, discarded 20-litre
oil cans are stripped of their labels and repainted to make colourful
dustbins. They are also painted with the
slogan, “kachara m ane aapo” “please
give me garbage”.
Safai sanskar
campaign, “inculcation of cleanliness values”: We took a second tour of the
village, equipped with a box of first aid and personal hygiene items. With
love, laughter and tenderness the volunteers cut the village children’s
fingernails, combed their hair, taught them to wash their hands, and stitched
on missing shirt buttons. Going door to door wherever there were children, we took
the opportunity to speak with the parents about preventing disease through
sanitation. We also took the time to sit
and listen to the elderly people in the village, to build connections with
them. These small displays of care naturally open up the hearts of both the
volunteers and the villagers, leading to greater participation in the later
programs and making way for genuine “heart-to-heart connections”.
Evening: Play with children: We took some time
in the evening to play with the children who are always fascinated by Nandini
and the excitement of the arrival of the volunteers, teaching them songs and
giving humorous presentations about the importance of sanitation. Connection with the children opens the door
to the deepest connections with the whole family. The children act as catalysts, inviting the
volunteers into their homes and bringing their families to the evening
presentations.
We then have the second
round of sweeping, including the
roads surrounding the area where the van is parked.
Blessed
are they who CLEAN UP
Village rally: Leading the village children with a drum, we walked through the community and chant call-and-answer slogans about sanitation. Wherever there are several houses together, Shaileshbhai acts as a “town crier” to invite everyone to the evening’s program.
Evening
prayer and circle of
sharing: In the centre of the town, near where the exhibition is set up, we
sit in a circle with some of the villagers for evening prayer. We then sit and
discuss what each of the volunteers experienced in the day and what was
meaningful or inspiring for them. Though
only a few of the villagers sat in the circle with us, many of them always
crowd around to observe and listen. This discussion highlights for the
villagers the value that those from outside give to their way of life and
culture.
Night time: Multimedia show. Using a projector, microphone and speakers,
we gave a presentation integrating values of sanitation, environmental
awareness, “save the girl child” and de-addiction. This included short documentaries, message
films, popular songs re-written with lyrics about sanitation as well as some
humorous street theatre performances by the volunteers. We introduced each of
the Nandini team members to the villagers, explained the activities of the
following days and the involvement of Tata Housing and Smart Value Homes in the
program.
Always do
you best
Your
best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you
are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any
circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self abate
& regret.
Second Day
6am, Prabhat
feri: We toured the village chanting bhajans (devotional songs) and chanting slogans to spread the
message of human values. Many older villagers
especially appreciate this action, as it revives a practice that has been lost
in the more recent generations.
7am, prayer: The Nandini team sits together
for the All Religions Prayer, followed by an idea sharing session about the day
to come and what innovative actions we can take to improve the day’s program to
make it as relevant as possible to the specific village’s context.
8am – 10am: Safai sweeping of the public square,
main roads and any other common areas (school, temple, etc.)
Morning & Afternoon
programs: Volunteers worked in teams on
the following activities:
Painting
slogans: Vinodbhai, a devotional painter, wrote over 50 slogans throughout each
village about issues such as sanitation, cleanliness, environmental awareness,
and basic human values. He also painted the “all religions” symbol and the Tata
Housing SWACHH logo in prominent places in the village.
Dustbin
distribution: Volunteers, Tata Housing representatives and
village leaders gave each shopkeeper one of the dustbins that had been cleaned
and painted by the volunteers the previous day.
A photo was taken of the moment the dustbin was handed over, a copy of
which will be given to each of the shopkeepers to emphasize the significance of
the occasion and remind them of the importance of encouraging their patrons to
make use of the dustbin. Some dustbins were also given to families who hosted
volunteers as a thank-you gift.
Village
Beautification: At the centre of the town or where there was a
public seating area (around a large tree or at a bus stop), the area was swept,
cleaned and painted in a bright colour.
Safai sanskar campaign: Volunteers went door-to-door with the box of
hygiene tools and continued their work, while opening up dialogue about the
issues that villagers face because of unhygienic conditions.
Tulsi
plant distribution: We were fortunate to be joined in each of the
villages by Raghubhai, who works with ESI’s partner organization Gram Shree. Over the last four years, Raghubhai has
gifted over a thousan d tulsi
plants to homes in villages and slum areas of Ahmedabad. Before giving the
plant, a group of volunteers led by Raghubhai sat in a circle with the family
for prayers, bhajans and a blessing ceremony. The benefits of the
tulsi plant and how to care for it were explained to the family, followed by a
discussion about human values. Nearly 100 tulsi plants were distributed in the
three villages to families who hosted volunteers or with whom the team had made
a special connection.
Evening: Safai of remaining village roads and evening prayers. Tata Housing
volunteers generously gave their time to help in the evening safai in Vadsar.
Nightime: Gram
Sabha, village gathering. For
our last evening in the community, each of the volunteers spoke briefly about
the highlights of their time in the village.
Sureshbhai explained the future work that ESI and Tata Housing will be
doing in the community, and what support we need from the villagers. Along with projecting some short values
based films, Raghubhai gave a presentation about his work with “tyag nu tiffin”, delivering meals to
widows in the slum areas around the Gandhi ashram in Ahmedabad. Raghubhai’s
presence and work is especially powerful because Raghubhai is differently
abled, walking with his hands because he doesn’t have the use of his legs. His
life is an inspiring example not only of selfless service but of dedication to
serve the community despite one’s physical condition, and his presence also
brings the message of giving value to differently-abled people. Furthermore, in Vadsar, the president of the village milk co-operative society
also participated in the program, speaking to the community about the value of
the work of ESI and Tata Housing and asked the villagers to offer us their support.
“I
do not want to be reborn, But if I have to be reborn, I should be born an
untouchable so that I may share their sorrows, sufferings and the affronts
leveled at them, in order that I may endeavour to free myself and them from
that miserable condition. I therefore pray that, if I should be born again, I
should do so not as a Brahmin or Kshatriya, Vaishya or Shudra, but as an
Atishudra.”- Gandhiji
Third
day:
6am – 10am: Prabhat
feri, prayers and village safai
Morning: Continuation of
distribution of dustbins and tulsi plants.
Krushi Ratha Agriculture Program
(Motibhoyan): We participated in an
event organized by the panchayat to
spread awareness about agricultural techniques, speaking about health and
sanitation, the importance of hand-washing, and organic farming.
I do not want my house to be walled in
on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to
be blown about my house as freely as possible, but I refuse to be blown off my
feet by any. - Gandhiji
Woman’s
gathering (Vadsar and Khatraj): We gathered women from the village
for a short presentation about home sanitation, child care and personal
hygiene. This was followed by bhajan singing led by Sureshbhai and Gopaldada,
Gopaldada also spoke of his experience walking with Gandhiji and Vinobaji.
Data
collection (Vadsar and Khatraj): In certain families with whom a good
rapport had been established, volunteers started to collect information about
the community such as education levels, occupation of householders, and
presence of toilets.
Evening: Return to ESI.
“Ripples”,
Village interest and response
The multimedia show and
the gram
sabha were well attended in all of the villages, evidence of the
relevance and interest of the community in the work of the Nandini team. In
Vadsar, over 1200 people attended the programs.
In Motibhoyan, even though a wedding was taking place at the same time
as our visit, over 700 people attended the program and many stayed after
midnight to watch the film about truth and non-violence that we projected. The attendance in Khatraj was lower due to a
death that occurred in the community the day before our arrival, but even under
these conditions more than 300 people attended the evening programs.
Hands that helps are Holier
than lips that Pray.
Furthermore, the beginnings of
the success of the de-addiction message were already visible, as 6 people in
Vadsar and 4 people in Motibhoyan announced before their community that they
would break their addiction to tobacco.
Inspired by our presence and
message, 12 young people from Motibhoyan reflected on what they saw as a
problem in their community. They decided to write a play to perform for their
community about how much money was wasted on social activities such as weddings
and how it could be redirected towards sanitation and village uplift.
While giving the tour of
Nandini, we showed the boxes where villagers could donate grains as a sign of
their support for our work. By the time of our departure, 7 to 10 kilos of
grain had been donated in each of the villages – fistful by fistful, by over a
hundred woman and children. It was especially moving in Khatraj to receive these
contributions because they were unsolicited
– even though we hadn’t asked for any donations; people were moved to bring us
their gifts. Upon our departure, we redistributed these grains to the poorest
of the villagers - elderly couples or widows without children to support them.
When those receiving the grain asked where it came from, they were overjoyed to
hear that it was a gift from others in their community. In this way the sarvoday patra, or
grain collection, contributed to village cohesion and solidarity.
Finally, that a heart-to-heart
connection had been made could be seen in the faces of the families and
children who had hosted the volunteers, many of who came to wave goodbye to the
van as it drove away.
I
am a Muslim and a Hindu and a Christian and a Jew…… and so are all of you. Non- violence is the first article of my
faith it is also last article of my creed. -Mahatma Gandhi
Thus, viewed by the volunteers and
people.
(1) Stephanie Childs schilds.mtl@gmail.com, canada
For the past week, I had been
thinking about calling Sureshbhai, but somehow I hadn’t found the time to do
it. I would be leaving
I arrived at Sughad on an
overnight bus, and after a happy reunion with Sureshbhai and Shaileshbhai, they
told me of our plans for the coming days.
I would finally get a chance to spend some time with Nandini, the name of ESI’s ‘mobile
sanitation education unit.’ I’d heard a lot about Nandini both from Sureshbhai
and others at ESI, and I was thrilled to know we’d be spending the next week in
two different villages in Gandhinagar district, Motibhoyan and Khatraj.
From my experiences a couple of
months ago in Pedhamali, I already
knew some of the sign language to help me get around the Gujarati language
barrier - like, holding out your pinky finger means you need to use the toilet
– and some basic words. But more
importantly, being back in a village I remembered the most important lesson
that I learned with Sureshbhai and Jayeshbhai: that between hearts, nothing as
superficial as language can create barriers too difficult for love to
remove. Sitting one afternoon in the
shade of someone’s porch, I sit with the sari-clad grandmothers, hold their
wrinkly hands, touch their cheeks and we all laugh together at the gulf of
language based misunderstanding, but magically from heart to heart there is no
misunderstanding at all.
On
our first walk through Motibhoyan, as Rinabehen and Shaileshbhai stop and chat
with the villagers, I smile, give a namaste to everyone I can, and let the love
I feel in my heart radiate through my eyes to each person I greet. This visit to Motibhoyan is different from
the time that I spent in Pedhamali in that it’s Nandini’s first visit here, and
many of the villagers have never before had contact with ESI volunteers. At first sight the villagers seemed closed,
even suspicious, but as the day goes by, I get more and more smiles in
return. The women’s eyes light up, a shy
laugh or bold smile appears, and I feel that special warm glow inside. “Mara
gher aavjo,” they say. The children
learn my name (or their own, creative variations on it) and by the second day I
hear cries of “Step-ni behen!” “Stap-na behen!” or “Stip-ne behen!” wherever I
go.
We
sweep the streets, sing devotional songs, act out some street theatre in the
evenings, and share the message of sanitation through small acts of care like
washing children’s hands and cutting their finger nails. A year ago, I could never have imagined
myself doing this work, much less enjoying it so much – especially sitting in
prayer twice a day. But spending time
with Sureshbhai and Shaileshbhai is a moving experience, and I learn much more
than a few words in Gujarati.
Sureshbhai
recites to me one day a quote written on the wall at Sughad – “Be a Ladder, not
a Leader”. At times, I think Sureshbhai
is more like a “leather” than a “leader” – like the sole of a shoe, he supports
the rest of the team and takes on the hardest and least desirable work himself,
selflessly, tirelessly and without complaint. His spirit and energy is
contagious, and though I rarely get enough sleep the smiles keep coming to my
lips, even as I’m crouched inside a public bathroom, scrubbing the floor with
an old piece of rope. The current of
spirituality runs through everything we do, and as the days go by I’m more and
more aware of the way the mystery of the divine works all around us, coming to
life in the smiles and tenderness of those around us. Loading
into Nandini with Sureshbhai behind the wheel and 5 other volunteers, we
arrived in Motibhoyan and Khatraj villages in the morning and quickly got to
work sweeping the area in the centre of the village which would be the base for
all of our activities. We then went on our first tour around the village,
walking through the village roads and chatting with whoever we met. “Chatting”, for me, is of course a loose use
of the word, as most people don’t speak much Hindi and I still haven’t learned
any Gujarati other than the basic “kem
cho?” Instead, I listen while Rinabehen and Shailashbhai speak with the
But I had the great fortune of
having gone on a village walk once before, with Jayeshbhai, so I know the power
of a simple smile, a namaste and letting the love radiate from my heart through
my eyes (most children and elderly
people here don't speak hindi) like, holding out your pinky finger means you
need to use the toilet :) and also, to know that I can just sit with the
wrinkly sari clad grandmothers and hold their hands, touch their cheeks and we
all laugh together at the gulf of language based misunderstanding, but
magically from heart to heart there is no misunderstanding at all
(2)
My Trip to Vadsar With Nandini van -by Apurva Dave
apurva.dave@juno.com
In May 2013, I took a
trip with Safai Vidyalay (ESI) staff and volunteers to Vadsar, a small village
in Gandhinagar District. I had just
learned about Safai Vidyalay a few days earlier and felt that going on this
trip would be a good way to see its work in action.
On the 3-day trip, I got to do
things like sweeping litter, painting walls, and marching through town to raise
awareness about cleanliness. I got to
witness evening presentations made to the villagers, which included speeches,
video presentations, and a play (in which I also had a small role). I also got to meet some of the residents of
the village who had invited us for meals or stay overnight. This was a chance to understand how they
lived.
In all the activities, I was
with one or more partners from the Nandini team. This was a special group of individuals who
were willing to make a positive difference in society. I was so glad to meet and work with
them. Going around the village, I saw a
great need for cleaner streets, more toilets, and better infrastructure for
waste management. Based on the response
that we received, I think our team made a difference in influencing the
villagers to think differently about cleanliness and hygiene. I am grateful to have gone on this
educational and memorable trip.
Prayer expresses the soul’s longing, and fasting sets the
soul free for efficacious prayer.- Gandhiji
(3 ) Team Arvind And Smart Value Homes
Sub: Feedback on activities done for ‘Sanitation Drive
Dear Sir,
As
per MOU between Smart Value Homes and Environmental Sanitation
Institute dated 29th March, 2013, activities started from 7th
May, 2013 to 1st June, 2013 at Vadsar, MotiBhoyanandKhatraj.
Awareness Campaign and Village Survey activities are done by ESI team as
mentioned:
At Village Vadsar: 7th May, 2013 to 9th May,
2013
At Village MotiBhoyan: 27th May, 2013 to 29thMay,
2013
At Village Khatraj: 30th May, 2013 to 1st
June, 2013
ESI
Team with volunteers worked very enthusiastically and really hard to make the
program successful with taking different initiatives. ASVH staff also
participated in different events with ESI team with volunteers and share their
experience on the project and working on ESI team for the cause of awareness of
Sanitation.
Different
Programmes done by ESI team were really effective with lots of efforts to
improve involvement of villagers without whom ‘Sanitation Drive
‘Act
of Kindness’ was really touchy to villagers as volunteers cut the nails of
children, cleaned them and educated them for hygienic conditions. Cleaning of
Streets, common areas and schools improved effectiveness of the programme and
this action created reaction in villagers. Many of villagers joined with
volunteer’s showed success of hard work done by ESI team on awareness. Involve
in social activities like marriage and other activities like ‘KrishiSabha’ and
educate people showed involvement for awareness by ESI team. Wall slogans, door
to door visit, women meet and ‘Tulsi’ distribution made huge effect on mind of
villagers for this good cause. Finally multimedia show, live drama and spiritual
films impacted marvellously in ‘Gram Sabha’ in presence of hundreds of
villagers.
From
Team
Arvind And Smart Value Homes
(4) Experience Working with Service Van Project
Name of the Student Social
Worker: BHAGYASHREE MARUTI PAYGUDE
Student social worker during her one
month SPT at agency, ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION INSTITUTE spent most of the time
working with agency’s “Sanitation And
Health on Wheels Project” popularly known as “Sureshbhai’s Nandini Van
Project”.
Student social Worker participated in CSR
activities of Tata Housing Pvt. Ltd. In three Villages i.e. Wadsar,Motibhoyan
and Khatraj nearly for three days in each of village. During this overall nine
days exposure with Nandini Van, Student social worker Experienced lots of
things. She got familiar with how to raise awareness of prominent sanitation
and health issues, how to increase felt need for sanitation facilities, how to
provide basic health services, creating friendly environment working with other
volunteers with no barriers in mind, dealing with unwelcoming happenings or
problems, strategies to deal with them, finding alternative options for
achieving the primary goal of visit, etc.
Student social worker
especially learnt and developed abilities and skills within her dealing with
various kinds of people, specifically with children. Through very small scale
activities like nail cutting, combing hairs of children, telling stories,
singing nursery songs with them, sweepingand cleaning the roads, distribution
of dustbins which is recycled one, distribution of holy tulsi plants, etc. gave
understanding to student social worker to be always have down to earth in life dealing with different good or bad situations.
Participation in drama, activities done
with children say e.g. Clay mud art, story telling, nail cutting, singing
nursery songs, meeting with women and adolescent girls gave student social
worker a plenty of understanding about the theories she has been learnt in
classroom specifically in case of children and women and to implement, to
experience and to observe that study in day to day regular routine.
Nandini Van project also became helpful
to know about sanitation and cleanliness habits, water issues at rural region
in Gujarat . The issue of toilet construction,
utilization of it, use of dustbins, proper disposal of solid waste, and proper
management of sewage water are some of the important points on which student
social worker started to think seriously. Even student social worker was not
awaring about the influence of all above things on human life. But this one
month SPT especially participating in Nandini Van Project activities assisted
her to be think on all above issues in more serious manner.
(5)
NAME OF THE STUDENT: C. Lalchhandami.
NAME
OF THE UNIVERSITY: Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra .
DURATION
OF SPT: 6th May to 5Th June 5, 2013.
EXPERIENCES
WITH NANDINI VAN
The
student social worker, being as an intern at ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION INSTITUTE
felt it was an honored to be one of the volunteer of Nandini Project .During
her nine days stay at the various three villages namely Vadsar, Khatraj, and
MotiBhoyan with Nandini Van was a whole bunch of source of good experiences for
her.
She had learnt a purposeful way of building rapport with
the people through trimming nails of the children in the villages. Nandini Van
had opened for her to foster her own attitudes towards her professional self-
development, increases self- awareness on her by keeping her nails clean and
her outer looks need and clean so as to set herself as an example to others in
the maintenance of hygiene and sanitation.
Through Nandini Project, she had a good learning experience
through interaction with real life situations and this contributes a great deal
for her professional growth in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes.
From the prayers that have been conducted every start of
each day, had immensely unites the volunteers spiritually all through the day
and this prayer, the student social worker
termed it as the seed which makes the visits successfully.
The student social worker for the first time in her life
got an opportunity to sleep at the roof- top at night which was far better than
sleeping in an air- conditioned room.
It had enabled her to relate social work theories that have
been taught and preached in the class- room into real life or in practice. The
importance of team- work and active participation in performing any activitieswas
clearly visible during the stay in each village. In rendering social services to others there
is no high or low, great or small as long as they are been rendered from the
heart, everything is great.
(6) Experience working with Nandini Van
Project
Name
of the student social worker: Mane Amit Uttam
Date: 03/06/2013
Day: Monday
Objectives of work:
1. To work in Wadsar,
Motibhoyan and khatraj with Nandini Van
2. To conduct programs
concerning with sanitation, Health and water use and to make people aware about
it.
3. To develop rapport with
villagers through morning chanting nail cutting of children, drama, etc.
Activities Done:
Student social worker worked
with Nandini van Project in Wadsar, Motibhoyan and khatraj and gained different
experience at each place.
Student social worker learnt a
lot from program conducted on sanitation, Health, water saving issues in
Wadsar,motibhoyan and Khatraj.he observed how to establish rapport with people,
how to give program information to them.
Working with twenty volunteers
in wadsar was nice experience. We received good response from villagers and
program became successful.
In Motibhoyan eleven volunteers
were there. There also we had good response.
In Khatraj due to some local
problem we did not received expected response from villagers.
Observation:
1. Vilagers are living their
life in very simple way.
2. The villagers seem to have
more hospitability for outsiders.
3. Received good cooperation
from people of Wadsar, Motibhoyan, and Khatraj.
4. We had established good
relation with people in all three villages.
Learning:
1. How to interact with the
people in village.
2. How to establish rapport
with villagers.
3. To get information about the
village from the people living there.
4. How to conduct survey in
village.
(7) Ajit Pattnaik
General Manager – Corporate Sustainability
ajitpattnaik@tatahousing.com
During my
visit to Kathraj village on 30th of May, I was really very happy and impressed with the dedication and commitment
of Sureshbhai and volunteers team of ESI in driving our SWACHH sanitation
initiative. The well designed and well equipped Nandini Van, the
sincerity of the ESI team of volunteers & their service attitude and the
methodology of reaching out to communities through audio-visuals and street
plays, truly praiseworthy. The way you and your colleagues were cleaning
garbage and sweeping roads without slightest hesitation, all through the day
under the hot sun, would not have been possible without inner dedication and
love for humanity. I feel very privileged to be associated with you and
your colleagues like Jayesh Bhai who have kept alive the spirit of
sacrifice and Gandian values. I am sure Tata Housing and ESI’s sanitation
partnership will lead to enlightened people and clean villages,; first step
towards Gandhiji’s vision of Gram Swaraj.
Tata Housing Development Company Ltd.,
Tel.: (D): +91 22 -
66614401 | Mobile: +91 9223276001
If
we are need to reach real PEACE in this world, we shall to begin with the CHILDREN.- Gandhiji.
