Sanitation support helped a village move away from open defecation and regain dignity.

Gulla Appayamma lives in A.V Nagaram in East Godavari District, not far from the GMR Kakinada Special Economic Zone. Widowed at a young age, she lives with her four children and their families. The family found open defecation a humiliating experience. The women members also constantly feared being bitten by snakes, poisonous insects and facing harassment from men. But they were unable to build a toilet due to the meagre wages they earned.

On observing that all 168 families in the village faced the same problem, GMRVF decided to do something about this. They first conducted a series of awareness programs on personal health and hygiene. They educated community members on how defecating in the open can cause diarrhoea and other infections. GMRVF did not stop here. They approached the Mandal Parishad Development Officer and successfully facilitated the Swachh Bharat Mission Scheme which resulted in the construction of 168 individual sanitary latrines. GMRVF added to the government support by sponsoring iron doors for all the toilets.

Gulla Appayamma is now a very happy woman since her family members and friends all have toilets right next to their house. She says the initiative by GMRVF has also motivated panchayat leaders from nearby villages to utilise the Swachh Bharat Mission Scheme and make their respective villages ‘Open Defecation Free’.