Towards a Hygienic Lifestyle
Working to gain the full-hearted support and active participation of the villagers in the building of individual toilets within the premises of their homes is a step in the path of social transformation
T he most prominent landmark in Belkhara is the water tank, which stands tall at the entrance of the village next to the temple. It is a symbol of pride, prestige and prosperity for the people of Belkhara. About 400 ft away from the tank, where the vast open ground spreading out on the western periphery of the village ends, is the intake well and the pump house. And down below, next to the well, runs the river, Gauri, which serves as a natural boundary between Belkhara and the next village Harno. The rivulet has been the lifeline for both the villages for years. The villagers used it for bathing and washing and it was also the favourite place for their buffaloes during summer. The water flows round the year in this rivulet, even as hand pumps go waterless during the dry months.
But now the mini piped water supply (PWS) system provides water to all the 125 families of the village in their homes—seven days a week, round the year. It is a dream come true for the villagers of Belkhara—a dream, which became a reality three years ago because of the efforts of the villagers, especially the women’s self-help groups (SHGs), which have been at the forefront of all developmental activities in the village for the last 12 years.
There are overall signs of prosperity in Belkhara. The kaccha houses are giving way to more airy and well-lit brick structures. Electricity connections have reached most of the families. All children of the school-going age, including girls, are now in school. The smaller children look healthy and no longer have distended tummies or discoloured hair. All this is, of course, not attributable only to the availability of safe water in homes but also to the overall development in the village due to the sustained involvement of PRADAN, which has touched all major spheres of their lives—economic as well as social—and has improved the quality of life in the village.