Self-reliance & resilience in slum women's groups

1) Challenge: In most of the urban slums areas, the one common problem is lack of metered electricity supply. In the absence of metered connections, slum households hook wires on to electric poles nearby. This is fraught with risk of electrocution if the live wire touches a person. Further this is an unreliable source of electricity which particularly hampers studies of school going children, women’s housework and small livelihood activities after dusk.

2) Effort: Women group write petitions for the electricity connection, send reminders for slums where electricity connection is not installed. In slums where electricity supply system has been installed, UHRC’s social facilitators encourage slum families to understand the benefits of a dependable electricity supply. Families gradually realise the benefits observing early adopter families and avail the formal electricity connection which is safer (minimal risk of electrocution) and provides regular lighting and fan which helps children study and women carry out stitching and other activities.

3) Impact: Through petitions and in-person requests to Electricity Department in 2015-17, metered electricity connections reached approximately 80,000 slum population of Indore and Agra. These also include families living on rent availing electricity supply from the house owner’s main connection. Along with petitions and reminders, motivation by UHRC and other women group members, benefits of reliable electricity supply have gradually prompted more families to avail formal electricity connections which they were initially unaware of.

Links:

• Urban Health Resource's Blog