India: How one woman brought better sanitation to thousands

DW (English)

At a resettlement colony on the outskirts of New Delhi, a community leader mobilized women in the area to build toilets and join sanitation efforts to make their living space cleaner.

Transcript

00:00In 2006, India's capital, New Delhi, started evicting many from informal settlements in

00:26a bid to clean up its image ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

00:33Around 20,000 families from the city were moved to the outskirts of New Delhi.

00:39Zarina and her family were one of them.

00:42Back then, the Savra-Ghevra resettlement colony was barren.

00:45Zarina decided to take matters in her own hands.

01:05She started an initiative to help people build toilets.

01:09The NGO Mahila Housing Trust helped out.

01:12The NGO began working with women here in 2008.

01:16It helped bring essential services like water and sanitation.

01:20The toilet construction project began in 2017.

01:25It was part of the broader efforts to improve basic services and living conditions in the community.

01:31NGO Mahila Housing Trust secures funding from different sources, including corporate social responsibility

01:42funds.

01:43It was part of the

01:44It was part of the broader efforts to improve basic services and living conditions in the

01:48community.

01:49NGO Mahila Housing Trust secures funding from different sources, including corporate social responsibility

01:56funds.

01:57NGO Mahila Housing Trust

02:12Women here used to even withhold food and drink during the day to avoid the need to go to

02:17the toilet.

02:18NGO Mahila Housing Trust

02:43In the past, people in the Savra-Ghevra resettlement colony had to rely on community

02:48toilets.

02:49But the government stopped the funding years ago.

02:52Toilets here, for instance, don't even have doors.

02:55People stole them a while ago.

02:57And most people no longer use the public toilets.

03:01Today, there are more than 5,000 households in Savra-Ghevra.

03:08Most now have toilets, with 1,500 the result of Zarina's and NGO Mahila Housing Trust's work.

03:14The milestone is just one of the first steps towards better sanitation and cleanliness.

03:22Zarina's work goes beyond building toilets.

03:27She also raises awareness of hygiene and health issues, even without pay.

03:28Zarina is only compensated by the Mahila Housing Trust for certain tasks, such as conducting

03:33surveys.

03:34One issue that Zarina has been trying to resolve for years is building proper sewers in the

03:41community.

03:42There used to be no sewers at all.

03:43Small drains and septic tank connections have been developed through community efforts and

03:47support from Mahila Housing Trust.

03:48But the setup is not enough to meet the growing needs of people here.

03:58That's why Zarina has been trying to bring a formal sewer line.

04:15We are doing the sewer line. We have been working on the sewer line for 3 years, so that the sewer will come in the area.

04:29And the sewer means that the sewer will be completed.

04:34Because in Saavda, there is no way to go out of the water.

04:41There is no way to go out of the water.

04:46In this way, there is no way to go out of the water.

04:50So the water is only in the colony.

04:55The Saavda-Gevda Resettlement Colony has come a long way in 10 years.

05:00Though sanitation efforts were spearheaded by Zarina, success lies in the community coming together.

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