Making it possible
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| "The big difference will only come when the whole slum is clean," explains Agbari, "we are taking it lane by lane". |
| Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti |
Sambhav means possible. And in India, our partner Sambhav is living up to its name by helping women in the slums of Gwalior see how much change is possible when they unite to overcome poverty.
400,000 people - a quarter of the city's one and a half million inhabitants - live in cramped, overcrowded slums in the city of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Before Sambhav began work here Agbari was one of the many people who faced life without decent sanitation, hygiene or water supplies - and life was tough.
"You can imagine the problem we faced," Agbari explains. "We had faeces in the house because we were afraid to go outside. It stank. We used to get worms because of the faeces and we used to get diarrhoea. Two children died here from it. Because it was stinking so much we couldn't even sit here or even eat our food at home properly."
Agbari's story is sadly not uncommon. In a country of over a billion people there are vast divides between the rich and poor with over 26% of the population living in poverty. And as the numbers in cities grow, more people end up in slums, like those in Gwalior, without even the most basic services.
"The population and lack of infrastructure has made life miserable", explains Dr Singh, the Director of WaterAid's partner Sambhav. "There is one part of town which has everything. Then there is another which is a complete mess - there are bad or no roads, no drainage, minimum power and criminalisation. There are lots of diseases, sexual abuse and the women really suffer - there are so many problems."
Without sanitation and good hygiene, disease thrives here; compounding people's problems and worsening their poverty.
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| In Ranipura the leaking water pipe (above) flows straight through the stagnant waste water and sewage, polluting the drinking supply. |
| Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti |
But it isn't just disease - without toilets women and girls have to go to the loo in the open where prying eyes and sexual abuse are common; as 15 year old Baby explains: "We didn't have anywhere to go as there is nowhere private here. The boys used to follow us and we felt shy and afraid. Because we were so scared to go outside we used to end up having to go inside our houses, on the floor, just like children and then clean it up. It was awful."
So, how did Sambhav help Agbari and Baby's community in this environment? Well, the name Sambhav means 'possible', and seeing their work really makes you believe that even in harsh, overcrowded environments change is indeed possible.
Sambhav has worked on development projects since 1986 helping people to realise their rights. By developing the skills and knowledge of communities they encourage them to speak to the government, which has committed to providing basic services, and demand what is rightfully theirs. WaterAid supports the water, sanitation and hygiene education aspects of their work through funding and training.
"As the government has taken responsibility to do all this for the people - then they had better do it," says Dr Singh. "We are at most a catalyst. We create examples so that the government can see what works."
What is crucial to the success of the projects is working closely with communities; and women in particular: "You have to live with them, to breathe with them, to feel with them," continues Dr Singh. "Then slowly you can start to make changes."
When given the opportunity to come together to talk, listen and share, the women open up and realise that they are not the only ones with problems - and that together they can do something to change the situation.
Sambhav then helps women to establish formal groups which decide on what they need to change in their communities before working together to make things happen. And sanitation is often high on their list.
When they fully realise how unhygienic conditions and the lack of sanitation fuel disease, the women not only demand latrines but also contribute if they can and help to build them. And it is this involvement which has made a huge difference to the success of the schemes.
In the past some government latrines were built and left unused, but with this inclusive approach they are being properly used and maintained. Community members are also stepping forward to learn to maintain water points and promote good hygiene.
Mamona is testament to the success of the schemes. Like Agbari and Baby, she lives in Awapura slum and is the head of the women's self-help group there. They have been working hard to make changes by successfully forging links with the government. First, they tackled the water, then they worked on the drainage and hygiene so that people like Baby have latrines.
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| "We are so empowered now and we know we have an organisation behind us, supporting us," says Mamona. |
| Credit: WaterAid / Marco Betti |
"Before, when we tried to speak to our local (government) representative, they never paid us any attention," Mamona explains. "Now we have links with the Commissioner and we can demand things from him directly. We can even shake him to make things happen. We are so empowered now and we know we have an organisation behind us, supporting us. Now we can start all sorts of development. We can fight for our rights now."
The women's group collects a small amount of money from each household each month. Those who can't afford it don't pay - but most are willing to pay as they can see the changes taking place. The group lends this money back to the community - to help them build toilets or to start small businesses, or just for bad times, when before they could turn to no-one but money lenders.
But the women don't just stop at their area. Agbari now visits local schools and other communities, teaching them about good hygiene. Mamona and others visit neighbouring areas encouraging the women there to form groups too. "Four new women's groups have been formed this year," Mamona adds. "Women are demanding their own groups. They realise when they are in groups things start to change."
As Dr Singh says of the women with whom he works: "Their resilience is amazing, their desire to fight back is amazing. They are working so hard against the most impossible situations, with no house, no work, no wages, with beatings and sickness. You'd think they would be crying and morose with long faces but no, they are full of energy, full of living, fighting, singing, dancing, shouting, everything. It really is a privilege to work with them - and WaterAid gives us an opportunity to work with them."
By working in partnership with organisations such as Sambhav, we are helping communities to find their own routes out of poverty and showing that change is possible.
By Tamsin Maunder, WaterAid's Communications Services Manager
Cost examples in India
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