Awareness creation in public

 

Awareness on the sanitation is created through multiple means. Below are some of the activities conducted by Parishudh initiative.

 

1. Partnership with local NGOs

 

To bank on the network already established, we have tied up with local NGOs. Sri Kottala Basaveshwara Bharateeya Shikshana Samithi Sedam that has a history of over 35 years is helping us in this effort.

 

2. IEC Sessions

 

Half day sessions with villagers to educate them on sanitation using professional speakers as well as advanced audio visual material are conducted.

75 sessions conducted in 60+ villages between October 2011 and February 2012. Over 25,000 families attended these sessions. Details are tracked in SalesForce.com

 

3. Personal visits and phone call follow ups

 

Leaders in the villages are reached to get the Parishudh initiative started in their villages. So far over 120 villages (including ones where we conducted IEC sessions) are reached to participate in the initiative.

 

4. Door to door campaigns to the households on the need of sanitation.

 

So far over 5,000 homes have been visited educating them on the need of proper sanitation. Details tracked in SalesForce.com along with their names, contact details and date of visit.

 

5. Special awareness drives.

Swamiji and other people who can make influence the society speak on this cause at the villages. So far five such exclusive sessions have been held. In addition, sanitation is stressed in all major public meetings held by the NGO. Infosys volunteers educated over 500 families one weekend.

 

6. Built prototypes

 

This is done by constructing a few toilets for early starters. These stand as models of what the families will get in future.

 

7. Toilet summit

 

All day sessions for heads of villagers to learn on the need of sanitation in the villages are conducted. Two small meetings (20 villages) of village heads are conducted. Three toilet summit each with 200+ attendees was held between October 2011 and February 2012.

 

8. Toilet exhibition

Display of various artifacts to containing information on the need of sanitation. An artifact repository of over 100 display material ranging from awareness material to toilet technology to biogas to government incentive is built. 5 such exhibitions are held in major events related to health and hygiene.

 

9. Children as change agents

 

Sessions to children are taken. Competition on rural hygiene and sanitation was conducted in January 2012. Over 1,200 schools in five districts of North Karnataka were invited to participate in this competition. Over 10,000 students from 500+ schools participated in the competition.

 

10. Collaboration with Government

 

Government needs to enforce implementation of laws on hygiene and sanitation (All schools must have toilets, PWD must maintain roads and put necessary boards, Water Dept. must discourage open defecation in river banks, Finance dept. give VAT exemption, GP members must have toilets, All shopping complexes must have toilets etc.

Letters written to 8 central ministries and Hon. Prime Minister to act in this regard outlining actions to be taken by each ministry. Also a proposal submitted to Government of Karnataka to establish a “Task force on achieving 100% sanitation in the state of Karnataka”.

11. Mass media and other means

 

Various other initiatives including updates to press on the initiative, participation in government programs etc. are used to raise awareness in the public. Press has been very supportive. Parishudh initiative is already known to at least 50% of the Gram Panchayats in Gulbarga district as of early 2012.

 

12. Visits to model villages

 

Tours of villagers to villages 100% sanitation villages are conducted. Three visits to Shilkewadi (near Kolhapur) held so far. Heads of over 40 villages visited them.