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PROJECT SUMMARY
Table of Contents 1. Introduction Project Goals and Outcomes Project Beneficiaries
2. Project Activities Outcomes and Activities
3. Research 4. Future plan 5. Appendix: Project Highlights
Amrita University is a multi-campus, multi- five campuses in three states of India - Kerala, Tamil disciplinary research university that is accredited ‘A’ Nadu and Karnataka, with the University headquarters by NAAC and is ranked as one of the best research at Ettimadai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. universities in India. The university is spread across
AMMACHI Labs is an academic and research center at Amrita University that brings an interdisciplinary approach to addressing societal challenges. We envision a world where technology is designed and used to empower people. We create innovative educational tools and skill development solutions to help uplift entire communities. We are as excited about community outreach solutions as we are about our focused research and development for ComputerHuman Interactions (CHI), robotics and automation, haptic technologies, and applied robotics. Through the use of CHI technology, AMMACHI Labs aims to augment skill development, life enrichment education, healthcare, disaster risk reduction, and much more.
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We began in 2009 as a small research lab located on the beautiful Amritapuri campus of Amrita University in Kerala, India. Today, our team consists of over 100 people from all over the world working towards the common vision of bettering society through technological innovation. We are a diverse and talented family. Our team members come from many countries, backgrounds and professions to make AMMACHI Labs a unique place. As part of Amrita University, AMMACHI Labs stands out as a cutting edge research facility and social outreach platform. Our parent NGO, Embracing the World, is a global network of regional humanitarian organizations inspired by the India-based humanitarian initiatives of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Introduction The Women Empowerment: Community Sanitation through Democratic Participation (WE:CSDP) project (UDF-15-IND-667) was launched in February 2017 by Amrita University’s AMMACHI Labs. It is a two year, pan-India initiative jointly funded with the United Nations Democracy Fund. It aims to address the issues of inadequate community sanitation, women’s health, and water management in rural India through improving democratic representation of women in local governance. The project targets 21 villages in India, and aims to empower at least 5,000 women in rural Indian communities to champion sanitation and community development, eventually reaching their entire village, or 30,000 indirect beneficiaries. Participating women will receive continuous life skill training, will conduct sanitation campaigns, and will organize and mobilize efforts to implement key community actions to access government programs, such as the Swacch Bharat Mission, that specifically promotes sanitation. This community mobilization and training effort is designed to efficiently reach entire communities in a short amount of time. It will also provide strength and support to the women advocating
and petitioning to their local governments to address social and environmental issues in their villages. It is in line with the Government of India’s commitment to improving sanitation and rural development, as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WE:CSDP project has accomplished an incredible amount of success over the course of two years. The women in the ASHGs, the COs, and the communities overall have enthusiastically pushed the project forward. The project strategy has proven to be effective, as the women now have the tools needed to make a lasting, positive impact. Knowledge of social problems, legal and government processes, sanitation and water quality, and self-confidence building have launched the women into leadership roles. The women are now able to confidently approach government offices and push village improvement, exercising their democratic rights. As these women continue to empower themselves and others, we are beginning to see a chain reaction that is leading toward stronger, more resilient communities where women are able to lead the way to sustainable development.
CHAMPIONS OF
CHANGE WE:CSDP
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: COMMUNITY SANITATION THROUGH DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION Center for Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Outcomes of the WE:CSDP Project Challenges Addressed by the Project: Gender Inequality and Empowerment
Inadequate democratic engagement around sanitation
Absence of project sustainability through socio-democratic development.
The overall development goal of the WE:CSDP project is women’s empowerment and improved sanitation through advancing women’s political participation, leadership, economic & social development. The project will address three major social problems hindering the democratic process in the targeted villages:
Project Goals and Outcomes:
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Project Beneficiaries
The WE:CSDP project aims to empower at least 5,000 women in rural Indian communities and indirectly benefit 30,000 beneficiaries, as follows:
No.
Role
Criteria
21
Community Organizers
Selected based on leadership skills and enthusiasm
300
Champions
Chosen with the help of COs and local interest. Under current SHG regulations, group sizes can range from 10-20 women
5000
Change Agents
Open Defection Free Campaign participants (1 woman per household). Enlisted by ASHGs through outreach and door-to-door
30,000
Indirect Beneficiaries
Total population of the 21 villages (between 500-2,000 residents in each village)
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Project Activities
Outcomes and Activities Train the Trainer (TTT) for 21 COs. Outputs for Outcome:
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Output 1.1 Increased women’s individual capabilities and awareness on sanitation and personal development Output 1.2
TTT refreshers for 21 COs
Delivery of Computerized Life-Skills/Life Enrichment Education for 270 women in 21 villages (c-LEE to Champions and Change Agents)
First TTT completed Feb 18th, 2017 1. Feb 21-27, 2018. in Nani Borwai, Gujarat. CO’s from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Goa attended. 2. March 4-10, 2018. Guptapada, Odisha. CO’s from Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh attended. 3. March 18-24, 2018. Kanti, Haryana. CO’s from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu, and Himachal Pradesh attended. 4. April 1-7, 2018. Amritapuri, Kerala. CO’s from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana attended. 5. June 26-July 3, 2018. Saidvayel, TN for the CO here. 270 women in 24 ASHGs Received education in legal awareness, government programs, women’s health and community sanitation with a special focus on working with local government and supporting women in need.
Output 1.1 TTT Workshop
The first TTT was held in the Amritapuri campus of Amrita University, project HQ, in February, 2017. We found this experience extremely positive and encouraging, and successful. The main challenges we faced were in translation (7 language groups present, not counting local dialects), in time-management, and in holding the training within the hectic university schedule. In an attempt to avoid these challenges, the refresher TTT workshops were carried out in 5 central locations in the country. These were held in major language and geographic groups, and held in village centers to provide a more accurate backdrop for the CO work. The smaller groups and single-language requirement helped the TTT refresher run very smoothly. A total of 19 CO’s participated in these TTT workshops. The TTT refresher covered a number of topics. The actual daily flow of the TTT (strict time-table, requiring all COs to participate regularly, keeping daily journal and practicing reporting) was done to refresh the CO’s existing requirements. The actual learning sessions were mostly an advancement of Project topics, strategies for community mobilization, and feedback on project activities.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
{
}
“
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WITH THE TOOLS TO EMPOWER & ENGAGE THEM SOCIALLY & ECONOMICALLY & TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION TO STRONG, CARING INDIVIDUALS & COMMUNITIES.
“
Prema Pillai, ZL
}
{
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Mamtha Poyam. CO, Chattisgarh
{
“
I FEEL HAPPY TO WORK FOR EMPOWERING MY SISTERS IN MALGAON. THROUGH THE TRAINING, I FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED.
TO BECOME CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE, WE FIRST NEED TO CREATE A GROUP AND MAKE EVERYONE AWARE ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
“
}
“
Urmila, CO. Guptapada, Odisha
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Seema C., ZL
{
“
THIS PROJECT IS SO GOOD, AND MAKES ME HAPPY. THE LEE COURSES TEACHES SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL ISSUES, LEGAL RIGHTS, GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, AND SO MANY OTHER USEFUL THINGS FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN. I SEE THE WOMEN BECOMING CONFIDENT, INDEPENDENT, AND ABLE TO SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. WHEN I SEE THE WOMEN TAKE UP PROBLEMS AND SOLVE THEM, IT GIVES ME STRENGTH AND ENTHUSIASM TO CONTINUE THIS WORK.
“
}
PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SO MANY WAYS. I HAVE MUCH BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND CAN TAKE CARE OF MY CHILD BETTER WITH THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE TRAINING. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I AM MORE CONFIDENT. I CAN SPEAK TO ANYONE IN THE VILLAGE AND STAND UP FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHER WOMEN. WITH THE MONEY I EARN, I FEEL IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE AND I CAN HELP OTHERS, TOO.
Christopher Coley, Field Deployments and Research
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{
Meenal Behn, CO, Nani Borwai, Gujarat
“
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN INSPIRED APPROACH TO ASSISTING WOMEN AND THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN RURAL INDIA. OVER THE PAST YEARS, I HAVE WITNESSED THE TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, LIFE SKILLS, AND THE SUPPORT TO WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO TRANSFORM VILLAGES AND PROVIDE THE SKILLS FOR WOMEN TO STAND ON THEIR OWN. THE WE:CSDP PROJECT TAKES THIS APPROACH AND APPLIES IT TO SANITATION, A CRITICAL PROBLEM FACING MUCH OF INDIA. SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN REMARKABLE PROGRESS WITH HALF OF OUR VILLAGES BEING DECLARED OPEN DEFECATION FREE IN ONLY 6 MONTHS! BEFORE THIS, THERE WERE MINIMAL TOILET FACILITIES AND ALMOST NO AWARENESS OF THE HAZARDS OF POOR SANITATION. THE COMPASSIONATE GUIDANCE OF OUR CHANCELLOR AND THE EXPERIENCES OUR TEAM HAVE HAD IN THE FIELD HAVE TAUGHT US MUCH AND CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE OUR EFFORTS
PROJECT SUMMARY
Output 1.1 Graduates of the TTT refresher in Kanti, Haryana
Output 1.2 Delivery of c-LEE, Andhra Pradesh
Output 1.2 c-LEE given to Champions and Change agents: Hadiabad village in Bihar
Output 1.2 A Community outreach program: ChangeAgents celebrated ‘International No Tobacco Day’ with an awareness program, drama, and group discussion, Kalinagar village in West Bengal.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Outputs for Outcome:
Output 2.1
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Increased women’s individual capabilities and awareness on sanitation and personal development
Up to Q3 (January 2018) 18 villages completed 1st Ideal Village
Ideal Village Activity & Vulnerability Mapping
As of Q8 (December 2018) 21 finished 1st and 18 completed 2nd Ideal Village.
Output 2.2
Community-Led ODF Campaign Initiatives mobilizing 5,000 women as Change Agents
Output 2.3
168 Life Skills Community Events by ASHGs (8 per village)
Output 2.4
21 Advocacy Self-Help Groups formed by 300 women Champions (min one group per target village)
Up to Q3 (January 2018)1,400 names collected As of Q8 (December 2018) over 2,000 names collected Up to Q4 (February 2018) 238 LEE Events (9,584 participants) As of Q8 (December 2018) 702 LEE events (27,998 participants) on hygiene, women’s health, and legal awareness. Including 119 Clean Up Drives led by the ASHGs.
24 ASHGs and 270 women.
Government Programs engaged by ASHGs • Swachh Bharat Abhayan (construction of toilets) • Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (bank deposit garuntee for girl children) • Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (cooking gas provision for women BPL) • Aadhar card and Ration Card • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (housing for BPL)
• FIR and RTI filing • Paralegal Volunteer Program • Mahila Police Volunteer (women trained as police volunteers) • NRLM Yojana (guaranteed income for SHG members) • MGNREGA (guaranteed employment for 180 days) • IGNWPS (Widow pension scheme)
Output 2.1 Training for ideal village activity
Output 2.2 Community-Led ODF Campaign Initiatives, Kalinagar village, West Bengal
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Output 2.3 Amala Bhatratham Campaign, Dr. Khera village, Uttar Pradesh
Output 2.4 Advocacy Self-Help Group Bihar
Output 2.4 Advocacy Self-Help Group West Bengal
Outcome 2 is to increase women’s individual capabilities to promote community development, increase awareness about sanitation, women’s health and other important community issues, and to promote personal development. To this end, the Ideal Village and VM activities are critical to start a fruitful discussion among the ASHGs. The groups are also encouraged to form stronger bonds with each other and to unite around community service and promoting sustainable development. The LEE in Community events and promotion of the ODF campaign help to garner community support for these efforts, and position the groups, and the individual women, as village leaders. We have seen a remarkable change in how the women are treated in their villages, as they are seen as capable of bringing positive developments for all members of the community. What is more, the ASHGs themselves have become motivated and many have made the LEE events a monthly activity. We originally planned to only have a couple events in each village over the course of the project, but have found that the ASHGs and the community overall has supported these events and want more to occur. This is how we have been able to achieve over 500 events over the past 18months.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Outputs for Outcome:
Output 3.1
3
Increased women’s participation and stronger voice in sanitation policy making and community action
Water quality management and monitoring by 21 ASHGs
Up to Q3 (January 2018) 14 completed 1st water test As of Q8 (December 2018) 21 Completed 1st testing and 14 Completed 2nd testing. Up to Q3 (January 2018) 132 documented Government meetings
Output 3.2
Two Government-ASHG meeting (1 per milestone)
Output 3.3
National Development Workshop for ASHGs
Conducted December 17, 18 and 19, 2018
Output 3.4
ASHGs Community Action Proposal to Policy Brief on Policy Recommendations
Scheduled for January, 2019
As of Q8 (December 2018) 375 documented meetings initiated by the women in ASHGs after training. Promoted village sanitation, schemes, and development with local government.
Outcome 3 is to increase women’s participation and strengthen their voice in sanitation policy making, community action, and to build positive relationships with local government. We have found that in village culture, the representation of women in village, district, and regional decision making is sorely lacking. Even if local government is amenable to hearing the requests of women, many women feel cut off from their government, are ill informed on government programs and individual rights, or are discouraged from participating by their fellow villagers. This project aims to address these problems through education, guided support, and the demonstration of the strength of women to develop community support. In order to promote sanitation development, both community awareness raising and documentable efforts for government action are required. The water testing and government meetings with ASHGs are an effort to start this process and promote other important developments in the villages. Just as the LEE in Community events have been a large success, so to have government meetings. The ASHGs have found their voice and are actively engaging the government as concerned citizens to promote sanitation development, public infrastructure (roads, electricity, community centers, etc.), access government programs (schemes, Aadhar Card and Ration Card benefits), pensions, and many others (see page 10). This has started a positive trend in community development and women’s empowerment.
Drinking water testing as part of Community Awareness Program in Uttar Pradesh
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Kanti Village CO and teacher invited the SHO Police officer of the district to an awareness session for women. Forming a relationship with local police ensures women are safe and empowered.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Total Sanitation Work by AMMACHI Labs
188 Women have been trained in toilet building 327 toilets(16 villages, 13 states) built by these women, with another 170 planned to be done by October 2018(21 villages, 21 states). Approximately 2000 Toilets built by government in these villages after we started working 552 LEE events with 15,181 participants in 28 villages (21 states) 220 women trained in soap making and spreading sanitation awareness
Environmental Protection
Number of organic farms 30+ (20 in Tamil Nadu, 1 in Haryana, 5 in Bihar, 2 in Gujarat, 5 in Karnataka) Number of household kitchen gardens 500+ Number of trees planted: 4000+ saplings and 1000+ seed balls These activities were coordinated by Amrita SeEVe, as part of the larger village adoption project of 13 our parent organization M. A. Math
PROJECT SUMMARY
Research and interviews
Research and population studies are an integral part of the WE:CSDP project. The purpose is not only to track the progress of the project, but to gain a better understanding of the participants’ lives and challenges, so that we may better structure our interventions going forward. Each of the participants are asked to complete short surveys and interviews led by senior AMMACHI Labs staff, which help to engage them in discussing community issues and possible solutions. The trust and friendship shared between project staff and participants is the foundation of project success, and such discussions help to strengthen these bonds. The confidential data gathered in these studies will be used to document the project and eventually be shared for publication so that this work can be beneficial to the global academic and NGO community.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Future Plan
The WE:CSDP project has accomplished an incredible amount of success over the course of two years. The women members of the ASHGs, the COs, and the communities overall have enthusiastically pushed the project forward. We are pleased to report that the strategy utilized to empower the ASGHs worked well to mobilize the village. Education in life skills, social problems, water contamination and general sanitation, financial literacy, and government / legal programs gave the project participants all the tools they needed to make a lasting, positive impact. Results from water testing and toilet surveys led to productive government meetings and built strong relationships of trust among government officials. Community service events like clean-up drives, Aadhar Card registration, and promoting protection of women and children placed the women in a new position of leadership. After the close of the project, we will introduce sustainable projects such as 5S systems, micro-finance driven toilet building, Paralegal Volunteer trainings, and support further interactions with local government. As of December, 2018 the Prime Minister of India’s Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (a skill development initiative for underserved populations) will work with AMMACHI Labs under a special project to promote skill training and income generation. The WE:CSDP project villages will be first on the list to join in this project. The Amrita SeRVe efforts of our parent organization, MA Math, will also continue to support the villages to maintain the success of the project.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Updates from the field: Project Highlights March 1, 2017: TTT1 Train the Trainer success: After nearly two weeks of an action packed Community Organizer Training at Amrita University, our Champions had gathered together for a closing ceremony at Amriteswari Hall. The ceremony included street plays, dances and other cultural sharing sessions. The time together was precious and groundbreaking. Village women and our team members, and facilitators from different cultures, societies and countries even, who may not have even spoken the same language, bonded and shared a common vision in this unifying experience. As they return home, each will have a photo book keepsake and a heart full of unforgettable memories to inspire them to carry out the important work of recruiting more Champions Of Change in India!
March 8, 2017 International Women’s Day
Kathiwada, MP: International women’s day was celebrated here with a march and awareness activity for women and girls on the importance of education and sanitation for women. Ransai, Maharashtra: A community meeting, led by SHGs on women’s day, was held on the importance and the need for women empowerment in their community. A long discussion among the women reaffirmed the SHGs commitment to the UNDEF project.
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Kodur, Telengana: International women’s day march and awareness activity for women and girls on the importance of education for women.
Kanti, Haryana: On International women’s day, a sanitation march and campaign among SHGs was conducted to encourage their community to take up sanitation improvements in their lives.
PROJECT SUMMARY Nani Borwai, Gujarat: The CO and SHG hosted a Community meeting on women’s day on the importance and the need for women empowerment in their community. The meeting ended with strong commitments from all present to participate in the upcoming activities.
March 16, 2017
Sadivayal, Tamil Nadu: The SHG and Block Development Officer (BDO) met for the first time to discuss the community’s sanitation problem and how to get toilets and other infrastructure improvements for the village.
April, 2017
Dunda, Uttarakhand: Prabha Chatterjee, CO from this village, met with the Agriculture Officer in Dunda block to inquire about work opportunities for our women SHGs. The officials at the Agricultural office were impressed by this initiative from women and asked more about their activities, the WE:CSDP project and AMMACHI Labs. During this interaction, our zonal officer and #CO came to know that there is a scheme for making compost pits in the village, for which the women self help group can apply. This scheme is part of National Rural Livelihood Mission implemented by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India for promoting self-employment and organization of rural poor. As per the latest update from our field team, Prabha has successfully applied for this scheme.
April 8, 2017 Kanti, Haryana: Recently, the Haryana state government has increased its funding and emphasis on sanitation improvements, seeking to make as many districts as possible “Open Defecation Free.” As a part of this drive, the Kanti village was selected as an ODF village due to the accelerated improvement of sanitation infrastructure and awareness thanks to the SHG and AMMACHI labs collaborative work.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
June 1, 2017 Hadiabad, Bihar: Our Community Organizer, Baby Devi from Hadiabad, Bihar, is a perfect fit for the role entrusted. Apart from conducting regular social classes and community events, she is watchful to individual problems in her community and manages to provide solution too. Ribha Kumari’s story is indicative of the same. Ribha, a 14 yr. old mentally challenged girl is in 3rd standard. Its learnt schools are giving funds for uniform/transport which comes to student’s bank account. Because of her low intellectual ability, Ribha finds it difficult to sign and for this reason bank denied the amount to her (they disallowed taking thumb impression too). Our CO happened to meet the distressed mother and daughter and decided to take up the matter. She disputed the authorities, got Ribha's mother the payment for now and stipulated this condition for future. As reported by her mother, Ribha since last two months has discontinued going to school since other children in class teases and makes fun of her. Baby Devi has decided to go and meet the administrator and also give some social lessons to the class. Perhaps it would be right to say that Baby Devi has a flame of inspiration that can ignite in many rustic minds.
July 4, 2017
Nani Borwai, Gujarat, Vadagaon, Maharashtra, Dunda, Uttarakhand. People from across different strata of society participated in cleanup drives.
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July 5, 2017
Kodur, Andhra Pradesh: Hundreds of villagers attended the Legal Awareness sessions conducted by AMMACHI Labs team at. The session talked about Child Marriage, and Right To Information Act.
PROJECT SUMMARY
August 8, 2017
Kalinagar, West Bengal: Hundreds of villagers including children came together to make their village and environment clean. Team led by Community Organizer and other SHG women organized a cleaning drive.
September 22, 2017
Sarai Noordinpur, Uttar Pradesh : The 20 member Sanitation Committee formed by CO Sunita Devi and other SHG memebrs is planning and strategizing the community led total sanitation drive . Village women will be taking sanitation and cleanliness pledge during this event.
September 22, 2017
Community organizer, SHG members and AMMACHI Labs’ Deployment team had a fruitful interaction with Smt.Neelima, District Collector, Pathankot about the women empowerment activities in Maira village. The team also met with District Social Welfare Officer and discussed about the pension schemes.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
October 1, 2017
Karanji, Chhattisgarh: More than 230 people participated in the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations led by AMMACHI Labs’ deployment team, CO, students and staff from Karanji Higher Secondary School and villagers. Community Organizer Saritha led the rally and pledge for ODF in the village. Our team members had a brief discussion with the Gram Pradhan about the major challenges faced by villagers.The school principal and staff thanked MA Math and AMMACHI Labs for the initiatives and support for spreading Sanitation awareness.
October 3, 2017
Our Zonal Officer Vinod, Community Organizer and SHG members led the AmalaBharatham clean up drive in Indpur village, Himachal Pradesh. Village children joined the campaign and learned the hand washing techniques after the program.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
October 8, 2017
12 villages got Open Defecation Free status by Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Honourable President of India, Shri Ramnath Kovind recognized the COS with commemorative plaques and encouraging
words for their collective achievement in actualizing Open Defecation Free status in several villages. Each of these women has her own unique story of success, but also shares in the common societal and economic struggles which Indian women face. Open Defecation Free status is no easy achievement as it takes hard work and campaigning to shift deep rooted cultural behaviors around sanitation and hygiene. To achieve this status the entire village must participate in ensuring that every household has access to a toilet and that there is no visible human waste or sewage around the village.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
October 15, 2017
Ratanpur, Bihar: AMMACHI Labs team and CO Urmila led the sanitation pledge and awareness activities for the Mushar community women. All of them participated in the Ideal Village exercise and presented their work. Under the supervision of AMMACHI Labs deployment team, the tailoring assessment conducted of students who took our Cvet course at Hadiabad and Ratanpur villages.
November 12, 2017
Guptapada village, Odisha: AMMACHI Labs team, village youth and women in Guptapada conducted Amalabharatham campaign by cleaning the village streets and installed and painted garbage bins with inspiring messages.
November 14, 2017
Juna Kathiwada children celebrated Childrens Day with special programs and rally organised by AMMACHI Labs’ CO and Facillitator. In Ratanpur and Hadiabad villages (Bihar), school student’s team along with Gram Pradhan, Community Organizer and facilitator visited the nearby primary school and conducted a ‘Nukkad’ about Education and Sanitation. Later on, the group conducted an awareness program on Sanitation by house visits and requested the community members to stop OpenDefecation. CO in Sarai Noorudinpur village invited children from a nearby school and they were shown videos & posters on Hygiene and Cleanliness. Malgaon village, celebrated with the school children by leading Amala Bharatham campaign. In Guptapada village, Odisha, our team organised an essay writing competition on ‘How to protect Environment’ and conducted cultural programs. Later on children went to the nearby temple site and developed the drip irrigation system to create a new garden. Community Organiser and Facilitator at Himachal Pradesh led a nuked natal with the children and celebrated Children’s day.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
November 17, 2017
Guptapada Village, Odisha: CO Urmila had filed RTI to know the status of Government Toilet construction schemes in her village. After waiting for 30 days for a reply from the panchayat officials, today, she sent a letter to Information Commission
December 3, 2017
November 25, 2017
Sarai Noorudinpur Village, UP : A team of consultants from the World Bank in Delhi, visited for conducting sanitation assessments. This village is in the spotlight due to the transformations happening in bettering sanitation and hygiene. The consultants met with all members of our diverse team including the Community Organizer CO, facilitators, youth groups, RTB women masons and other field workers. A formal report is likely to follow. AMMACHI Labs had previously formed a 21 member sanitation committee that was nominated to attend the Government’s five day, rigorous training program on communityled total sanitation.
December 5, 2017
Dr. Khera village, Uttar Pradesh: AMMACHI Labs SHG women and community organizer, got an opportunity to interact with Shri. Rajnath Singh, Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India. Team members expressed gratitude for the support and the active intervention by the minister, on the infrastructure work. As representatives of their community, our team submitted request for three more submersible pumps, improved drainage system besides expanding road construction to the entire village.
Malakpan village, Goa: Member of Legislative Assembly and other government officials visited our training center. A one day exhibition of jute bags made by Women SHG from Malakpan village was organised on the occasion of official visit. MLA has assured everyone that he will look into the funding possibilities for the training center and encouraged the women to keep up the good work.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
November 19, 2017, World Toilet Day
Celebrated World Toilet Day by celebrating the women who have championed the basic human rights of sanitation and hygiene. By 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals aim to reach everyone with sanitation and cut the the proportion of untreated wastewater in half. AMMACHI Labs is committed to the cause of making sanitation available for all citizens. By empowering women to lead the change, we can multiply the effects of awareness campaigns and behavioral transformation to reach the wider community. Community-led total sanitation. As women pledge to be open defecation free, they inspire change within their entire community.
Karanji village, Chattisgarh: CO SarIta and Computer students performed drama on need for toilet and problems of Open Defecation. Sarpanch inaugurated the function and many of the villagers attended the program. Children are the new “sanitation campaigners’ at Sarai Noorudinpur village,UP. Alongwith our CO & Facilitator, these kids are raising awareness on good hygiene habits, education. In Kalinagar , West Bengal our team conducted rally and an awareness session was led by Dr.Sunil and almost 70 people took pledge for ODF. In Kanti village in Haryana, CO led AmalaBharatham campaign to spread awareness on sanitation
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PROJECT SUMMARY
December 8, 2017
Malakpan village, Goa: Community organizers Surekha and Renu arranged a medical health camp and awareness program for community people. This program was focused towards educating the rural people and make them aware about how to take proper care of their health. Leading doctors addressed issues like personal health care, hygiene, sanitation, illness prevention etc.
December 10, 2017
Pandori village, Jammu and Kashmir: AMMACHI Labs deployment team facilitated free legal seminars and a session on right to information act as part of the legal awareness training program for the SHG women. Our new community organizer Barkha Rani called a meeting of SHG members, to discuss about the existing government initiatives for self help groups and women in the village. As per the study of our team, there are 9 widows in the village who never heard about widow pension scheme. Barkha invited their attention to Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme and promised to assist eligible applicants to apply for pension.
December 12, 2017 Pandori village, Jammu and Kashmir: Children are the best change agents at home and in the community. In many of our community awareness programs, children actively particpate along with our women SHG groups. AMMACHI Labs community organizers and facilitators have undertaken many initiatives in collaboration with the village schools to promote hygiene and cleanliness. Last week, we organized a one day life enrichment education session for hundreds of school children. Through this class now they have more awareness about the importance cleanliness and also attended a practical session on ‘7 steps of handwashing’.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
February 8, 2018
Kalinagar village, West Bengal: Community cleaning and awareness rally led by the CO
February 10, 2018 Naniborwai village, Gujarat: Our community organizer Meenal is giving awareness on Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, a small deposit scheme of the Government of India meant exclusively for a girl child and is launched as a part of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign. She is also helping the villagers to fill the application forms to open an account for their girl child.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
March 7, 2018
Part of TTT refresher, COs from 10 villages shared their social empowerment experiences with the young boys girls enrolledfor skill courses at Aditya Birla Group Skills Foundation, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
April 7, 2018, World Health Day
COs and facilitators led the World Health Day celebrations with rallys and awareness sessions in Malgaon village, Chattisgarh. Kalinagar village, West Bengal, Dr. Khera village, Lucknow, Sarainoorudindpur village, Allahabad and Ratanpur village, Bihar
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PROJECT SUMMARY
March 8, 2018, International Women’s Day
Juna Kathiwada village, Madhyapradesh celebrated International women’s day by honouring the most active change agents in the village. Amrita university MSW students, presented a play on domestic violence. In Kalinagar village, West Bengal, an awareness session on “Child marriage” was conducted by our CO and women SHG members. In Kanti village, Haryana, CO organised a rally on the theme “Save the girl.” In Sarai Nooruddin village, Allahabad, CO led the celebrations. MSW students organized classes on child marriage and skill development activities in Vallaramkunnu village, Kerala.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
September 15, 2018, Swachhata Hi Seva
In Kalinagar, SHS 2018 events were led by AMMACHI Labs community Organizers (COs) and leaders. Awareness campaigns, hygiene sessions and clean up drives took place led by many women champions.
September 15, 2018
In Gudipadu Cheruvu village, SHS 2018 events were led by women leaders and community organizers. The entire village has pledged to continue 18 days of clean-up drives until October 2, 2018. Villagers participated in ODF rallies and awareness sessions.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
September 17, 2018, Swachhata Hi Seva
In Nala village and Dunda village, SHG women and villagers participated in the cleanup driveand rally organized by our team. In Dunda there was a Swachh Bharat themed poster making competition for students which had many participants.
September 17, 2018, Swachhata Hi Seva
AMMACHI Labs’ community organizer Mamatha Poyam visited houses in the interior parts of Malgaon village. The aim of the journey was to spread awareness on cleanliness and teach the villagers how diseases spread due to the accumulation of waste and stagnant water. Our CO also campaigned for Swachhata Hi Seva movement.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
June 28, 2018
Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, District Magistrate, Allahabad had a brief conversation with our women representatives from Sarai Nooruddin village. AMMACHI Labs’ community organizer, facilitator, self-help group members, and yoga teacher from Amrita Serve were part of this team. The team raised concerns about the current waste management system at the village and the DM directed their request letter to Assistant District Panchayat Raj Officer for further action.
July 6, 2018 Our team initiated a community development program in Dewgain village, Jharkhand BDO, President of Child Welfare committee, Agricultural officer, Panchayat Samiti Member and the government doctor from the village attended the program. Hundreds of villagers attended the program and listened to the informative classes on village development and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).
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Abbreviations AMMACHI ASHGs COs c-LEE MLA NOs ODF SDGs SHGs TTT UNDEF UNESCO WE:CSDP ZLs CLTS
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Amrita Multi Modal Applications and Computer Human Interaction Advocacy Self Help Groups Community Organizers Computerized Life-Skills/Life Enrichment Education Member of Legislative Assembly Nodal Officers Open Defecation Free Sustainable Development Goals Self Help Groups Train-the-Trainer United Nations Democracy Fund United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Women Empowerment: Community Sanitation through Democratic Participation Zonal Leads Community Led Total Sanitation