Sanitation and Clean Water for 60 Dalit Families

India has a population of about four times the size of the USA. It's hard to be lonely in India. However 600 million of them, or twice the population of the USA use a plastic bag or a local field as a toilet. There are wild animals, snakes and other dangers lurking behind every bush and tree,,and many are killed each year while attending to their basic needs.

Despite only receiving $50 so far from our GlobalGiving project. We have already commenced this program from our own funds. We have issued 25 loans of Rs.10,000, or $150 to 25 families. They have already commenced building their toilets. It will be a great sense of pride to each family to have a toilet and clean water in their home.  They will also feel safer using a toilet inside rather than in a field. I have to say they need to be trained to use a toilet and there are instances of many cases in India where toilets have been provided, but they don't use them.

The government of India are anxious to change the situation so they are providing a grant, something around the same amount of money to the family. They will only get the grant once the toilet has been completed.

The families are repaying our Micro-loan of Rs.10,000 over 10 months, As soon as Rs.10,000 of repayments are received more Micro-loans will be issued. With we give 10 loans in month one Rs.10,000 we received back in the following month will then be issued as loan. 

We are starting from small beginnings, but hope to make a difference, at least in the lives of a few hundred families would greatly benefit from what we take for granted a toilet in the home, wash hand basin and home, et cetera.

We believe that each toilet will save the lives of three or four people

Links:

• Mr Modi in ashamed of open defecation
• Why says the BBC?