Lack of sanitation can lead to several problems especially for women. A number of health related issues including diseases like urinary track infection (UTI), constipation and poor menstrual hygiene are due to lack of sanitation. Sanitation facilities ensure good health and therefore provide substantial benefits to the whole community.
United Spirits Ltd.(USL) took up the cause of constructing and ensuring the use of toilets in 100% of the households in Sarver village.
A baseline survey of the village revealed that only 58 of the total 596 households of the village have toilets while only 43 of the families with toilets use them. The rest of the majority practise open defecation. Sarvar felt that sanitation was not merely about construction of toilets but also sensitizing the community to use these toilets. With the support of Swami Vivekanand Shiksha Samiti(SVSS) interactions were conducted with Gram Pradhan and community members during SHG meetings, Village Health & Nutrition Day, household visits teaching villagers how sanitation impacts health.
At present, toilets are being constructed at household level based on design approved by the government. For each household toilet, the USL pays ` 11000/- which is used for providing an iron door, white-washing the toilet, plastering, tiles, etc. Each toilet has two soak pits and an especially designed rural pan that takes little water to wash the waste.20 Household toilets have been constructed so far and are being used by the community. The aim is to make Sarvar “Nirmal Gram” by making it free of open defecation and seeking the necessary recognition from the government under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.
Good health is central to human happiness and well-being. It also makes an important contribution to economic progress, as healthy populations live longer and are more productive. Many people do not realize the significance of good health, and even if they do, they may still disregard it. Most water and sanitation related diseases can only be prevented by improving a number of hygiene behavior's. Keeping this in mind, SVSS organized a number of health camps for the community in the months of July and May.
USL along with SVSS organized Hemoglobin tests and blood grouping camp at 2 villages, Sarvar,Amala with the support of Aaganwadi workers, ASHA (Health staff), and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM). Around 300 women attended the camp. Community Advisory Panel members participated too. 17 women were identified with anemia and referred to local hospital for further treatment Hand washing campaigns were organized in two schools in Sarver and Amala respectively. Importance of hand washing was explained to students. Steps of hand washing were demonstrated and taught to students. 164 school students, along with the teachers, anganwadi workers, school management committee members and ASHA attended the camp.Adolescent Health and Hygiene Camps were held in Govt. Middle School, Sarver and Govt. Middle School, Amala. Dr. Arupananda Sahu & Ms.Santosini, District level trainer, under NRHM, Bhopal conducted these sessions on different aspects of adolescence, life cycle approach, physical and mental changes during the period, menstruation and anemia - its causes and preventive measures. About 191 school children (Boys-99 Girls-92) attended the camp with school teachers, Anganwadi Workers (AWW) and ASHA members.Majority of people in the project area villages around Bhopal plant have access to groundwater either by means of hand pump or through the traditional use of buckets. The bucket-rope approach is used when water is to be lifted from a well or an open source. Water pumped through hand pumps is safe for drinking purpose because the chance for contamination is very less. Hence this is the most preferable option for drinking water in these villages.
In the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) meeting held in April 2015, it was decided to repair of 16 hand pumps The process adopted for site selection was twofold; firstly collection and segregation of applications according to the villages, then after reviewing the application by community members, finalizing sites for repair of hand pumps.Till date 16 hand pumps have been repaired in 3 panchayat of 10 nearby villages and remaining are in the pipeline. Mostly, the hand pumps were installed in locations where people do not have any source of safe potable drinking water in and around the periphery of 300 to 600 meters. Approximately 1800 villagers of nearby 8 to 10 villages will get drinking water through this noble support extended by USL.
In Sarver Panchayat pond revival work done for recharging the ground water &Constructed drainage in Amala pancahayat with the community Participation & USL contribution. International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrated the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women with the joint effort of USL Local Plant & SVSS. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
World Environment Day was celebrated with full enthusiasm by schools and other educational institutes in the district on Friday. Students and staff participated in plantation drives to make their surrounding green. The theme resolute for the World Environment Day 2016 is 'Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with care For SHE Project, sustainability means balancing economic, environmental and social needs to find the best available solution which is essential to ensure a more sustainable future. In this regard, the USL is integrating sustainability more closely into all business processes and by making it the starting point for new business opportunities Swami Vivekanand Shiksha Samiti (SVSS) could work to boost community participation and ownership in WASH interventions. Central, State and local Governments should encourage holistic sanitation models and ensure that the political environment is conducive for corporate participation. The project is supported by United spirits Ltd (USL) and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF-INDIA).