A day in the life of...

Iyrin Subala, who works with WaterAid partner AWED in Tamil Nadu, India.

Credit: WaterAid / Duncan Wilbur

Iyrin Subala, a Hygiene Educator for WaterAid's partner, the Association of Women's Education and Development (AWED). She works with communities
in Tamil Nadu, India, that were affected
by the devastating tsunami in 2004.

"On a typical day I wake up at 5am. Before work I help my mother with chores and draw water from the well. I fill 12 pots for washing and cooking, and then pick vegetables and sweep the house. I leave home between 7.45am and 8am.

I first started working for AWED in April 2006. I heard of the opportunity to help with the project in my local church. I had studied for a diploma in IT but having seen firsthand the impact of the tsunami, I recognised the need and applied.

I live in a village called Chempanthi. My walk to the nearest bus stop is about 1km, the bus is always really crowded and I have to stand for the one hour and 15 minute journey to Kurumpanai village. I work in five villages and spend a day of the week at each.

When I arrive at the village I meet with the Community Organiser from AWED to arrange which ambiyan (areas within the community) I will be working with and to plan an agenda.

Iyrin works with women in groups, which she says is more effective than speaking one-on-one.

Credit: WaterAid / Duncan Wilbur

I have six key messages and each one has its own class: personal hygiene, water hygiene, food safety, solid waste management, safe management of waste water and using latrines. Working with a group of women is more effective than speaking to someone alone. Peer pressure helps get the message to stick.

I meet with the ambiyan for 30 to 45 minutes. This is usually a casual talk. This morning we demonstrated the effectiveness of soap by asking the women to apply turmeric to their hands - we ask them just to wash with water and then rub their hands on paper, we then ask them to do the same but with soap. There is such a difference that people cannot believe it.

You can't be shy doing this job. In the beginning I was reluctant and worried if people would take me seriously because I am young. My confidence grew quickly and people trust me because of the training that AWED have given me.

I take lunch with the women I meet or will be invited back to someone's house. My lunch is usually rice with buttermilk and one vegetable. I don't have fish for lunch as the fishermen are not back yet, but I will have it for my dinner.

After lunch I visit the local school to teach hygiene education classes. I teach 11 to 13 year olds. Each classroom has 60 to 70 pupils and I do three classes each afternoon.

Child friendly toilets are included as part of the community latrine blocks.

Credit: WaterAid / Duncan Wilbur

In the lessons I ask if children have latrines at home and monitor the numbers who do and don't. This helps us monitor the coverage in the community. As well as these discussions we sing songs and talk about hygiene practices.

When I first started talking in class I was tense, but now classes are more interactive and fun. We sing songs and dance, and the children are extremely receptive. Adults are resistant to change but these children have brought about change in their families.

I finish in school at 4.30pm and then meet with another ambiyan. At the moment there is construction work being carried out to build latrines. I help coordinate the work and make sure that the mason keeps to the agreed timetable. If there are any problems I speak to the community organiser and the priest, who makes sure that the work is done.

Sanitation is key to this project, the health benefits make a real change to people's lives. Sanitation is the thing that means people are better and that the environment is better.

Iyrin teaches children in hygiene education classes.

Credit: WaterAid / Duncan Wilbur

My happiest moment was when the community worked together to clear public ground used as an open latrine that was full of litter and solid waste. This public area wasn't a nice place - it was disgusting and a real health hazard. Working together with the community we cleared the area and made it tidy. There was great jubilation in the village and the priest gave out prizes to the people who worked the most. Now the ground has a community latrine and a child
friendly toilet, it is clean and a nice place to be.

I will usually leave the village sometime between 6pm and 7pm. Outside of work I enjoy gardening and cleaning and am a member of my local ambiyan, where I make sure that we replicate the lessons that I have learnt through my job. I also teach at my local church, hygiene education first and then bible class."

Interview by Duncan Wilbur, WaterAid's Corporate Development Manager.

This project has been generously supported by UBS AG. To find out how your company can get involved and make a difference, please contact the Corporate Team on 020 7793 4949 or click here.