Seema: A Village from OD to ODF

Background:-

Seema is revenue village of Nahub Panchayat in Rajgir Block. It is situated 20 Km from District Head Quarter & 5 Km from Rajgir Block. Total No. of House Hold here

is 287 & population approx. 2000 village. This village mainly comprises of other backward class, schedule caste & Minorities. Their occupation mainly relies on agriculture/cash crop. Other than agriculture they also work as a labour for their

sustenance.

By virtue of having least priority to Sanitation in their day to day life open defecation was rampant here. Most of their earning was spend on medical and outreach to

Doctors in result to that they were facing loss of working days / mandeys . At present Seema is free from open defecation. It only became possible by the rigorous hammering & regular follow up of the community in the leadership of PRI

members, SHG women, District Water& Sanitation Committee, Nalanda with the support of development partner Global Sanitation Fund & sub guaratee ACE under

the Global Sanitation Project, Bihar .

Process Involved:- Organizing the community & to orient them towards one goal was not easy,

especially when the practice of open defecation is socially accepted. However once the ice broken & people are convinced of the matter community takes lead. We

follow the following process:-

{1} Thematic Meeting:- In these we interacted with the community & assessed

that what does sanitation means in their day to day life. Finding of meeting was as

below

Why people do Open Defecation?

Tradition

Least Priority of toilet in their life

Illiteracy

Availability of open land

Non availability of land in tolas.

Thematic Meeting

{2} Pre-Triggering :-Influential community members were approached &

requested to convene a triggering meeting along with PRA (Participatory Rural

Appraisal).This pre-triggering process eases the triggering process.

Social Mobilization through various awareness activites

(i) Triggering:- Through CLTS approach triggered happened &Community was

convinced about abandoning the open defecation practices.

Community led Total Sanitation

(ii) IEC Activities :-Several IEC Activities were conducted

(a) Hoarding :-

Thematic Meeting

Related to dignity of Women

Related to Shame

Related to Fear

Related to Consciousness

(b) NukkadNatak :-

(c) Street Play :-

Related to day-to-day

problems

To make children as a change

agent

Nukkad Natak

Street Play

(d) Audio-Visual Show :-

(iii) Resolution:- A resolution was passed to abandon open defecation and a

vigilance committee / Nigrani committee was formed to follow up in the morning

to ensure that each Villagers covers his faeces with soil / ash.

Gram Sabha

(iv) Morning & Evening follow up:- Nigrani Committee / Vigilance committee patrol

the road sides or common places for open defecation like pond, river every early

morning to council people & ensure that everybody stop the open defecation & if

defecation in open due to lack of toilet then they will cover faecal through soil &

ashes.

(v) Construction of IHHL:- Community has constructed toilet on their investment.

They were provided technical support from DWSC, BC- LSY , ACE & GSF team. Fund

flow was facilitated & managed by DWSC – Nalanda.

Audio-Visual show related

to importance of Sanitation

Toilet Constuction

Complete Toilet

(vi) NigraniSamiti :- Group of SHG Women taking Oath that they will not go

to defecate in Open and ensure that other also take this in practice.

Sapath by NigraniSamiti

(vii) Changes made after Intervention:

Gradual change in behavior;

Increase in acceptance of toilet;

Involvement of PRIs increased;

Level of awareness increased;

Sustainability of toilet increased

(viii) Change Indicator :-

Safety of Women increased.

Social Dignity enhanced

Spending More Time with Family

Medical expenses on health reduce

Savings goes up

Living Standard goes up.

(ix) Period

Approx 4 Month

Outcome :- CLTS approach make Seema , a ODF villages through open defecation

habitations, clean environment, increased awareness about health concern , a new

sense of ownership of individual household latrine , solution of the difficulties faced

by women in the matters of personal hygiene and sanitation, emergence and

integration of new leaders in the villages community for the greater cause.

For further Details Please Contact

Mr. Anand Shekhar (Team Leader – GSF) , anands@nrmcindia.co,in

Dr. Anoop Tripathi (State Manager- Bihar, GSF Project), anoopt@nrmcindia.co.in

Mr. Arvind Kumar (Programme Officer- Bihar, GSF Project), arvindk@nrmcindia.co.in