It is said that greatness comes from what we do every single day, not just some heroic push. Author JK Rowling took 6 years to write the first Harry Potter book. She wrote every single day, even if that meant writing at 2am after the baby was asleep. Like her, there are many examples in every field – from sports to science, and everything in between.
This applies to collective action too. When as a human race we stopped using CFCs, we healed the hole in the ozone layer. When all of Indore started segregating their waste properly, the city was able to create additional income of Rs 2 Crore per year, from their waste alone. Now imagine the impact on our surroundings if every single Indian used toilets safely and hygienically.
Dirty toilets would be a thing of the past. As will waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, amoebic dysentery, hepatitis A, shigellosis, giardiasis and vector borne diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and others. We will save the lives of hundreds of children, and improve markers of female health. These healthier families will miss fewer days of work and school, bringing them better educational outcomes and career progression, adding to the prosperity of their families, communities and the nation.
We will also see greater participation from women in the workforce, as fewer girls will drop out of school because of a lack of clean and safe toilets. People who identify as transgender, intersex or gender fluid will feel safer, and more accepted. They will participate in public life more freely, making our businesses stronger through diversity of thought and action.
It may sound almost utopian, but this vision is firmly within our grasp. The hard work of constructing toilets has been done by the Swachh Bharat Mission, and the hard work of behavioural change is upon us.
Promoting Positive Behavioral Change: A Multi-Pronged Approach
As the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan found, their messages were succeeding with the youth – not only were young people more receptive to their message, they were also willing ambassadors of change within their families and communities. They also found that children who grew accustomed to using toilets were also unlikely to go back to the old ways, making this behavioural change a permanent one.
These findings resulted in an increased focus on the youth. The recommendations that the Sub-Group made regarding an education strategy that encompasses several key measures:
- Inculcating sanitation practices in children by including a chapter in the school curriculum from the first standard itself.
- In each school and college, a team of students may be formed which will be called the ‘Swachhata Senani, to spread awareness about sanitation and cleanliness
- Skill Development courses/ Diploma courses may be introduced in State ITIs and polytechnics/ colleges to train personnel in the field of solid and liquid waste management.
- Specialised courses on Environmental Sciences, Public Health Engineering and Municipal Engineering with focus on sanitation and waste management may be introduced at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
- Joint Research Programmes with foreign universities/higher educational institutions would enhance knowledge and capacities to work on waste management technologies.
Bridging the Gap
While the recommendations outlined by the Sub-Group of Chief ministers provide a comprehensive framework for fostering behavioural change through education, successful implementation requires many hands to share the work. Here’s where initiatives like Mission Swachhta aur Paani play a crucial role.
For decades, Harpic, India’s leading brand in the lavatory care segment, has been a vocal champion for toilet hygiene through thought-provoking campaigns and impactful outreach programs. Three years ago, Harpic partnered with News18 to launch Mission Swachhta aur Paani, a movement dedicated to achieving inclusive sanitation for all.
Mission Swachhta aur Paani is a movement that advocates for a future where everyone – regardless of gender, ability, caste, or class – has access to clean and hygienic sanitation facilities. The initiative recognizes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility, requiring collaboration across diverse stakeholders. This includes government officials, NGOs, sanitation workers, educators, and the public. By fostering intelligent dialogue between these groups, Mission Swachhta aur Paani leverages the extensive reach of News18 to shine a light on the challenges faced by our sanitation infrastructure and the dedicated individuals who maintain it.
Mission Swachhta aur Paani doesn’t just raise awareness; it also joins hands with the right partners to amplify key messages and build assets that can be leveraged for years to come. For instance, under the aegis of Mission Swachhta aur Paani, Harpic partnered with Sesame Workshop India, an educational non-profit, to promote positive sanitation, hygiene knowledge and behaviours among children and families through schools and communities, engaging with 17.5 million children across India. Very recently, the partnership also resulted in the new Sanitation for Good Health curriculum aimed at children at the preschool level.
Mission Swachhta aur Paani has pioneered several outreach programs that aim to educate children on toilet hygiene and safe sanitation, and make it a part of their daily routine. These children are recognised as “Swachhta Champions” in their schools. The initiative has also harnessed the power of celebrity to drive home key messages through its “Swachhta ki Paathshaala” program. This year, well known actor and celebrity mom Shilpa Shetty visited the Primary School Naruar in Varanasi, to talk to children about good toilet habits, hygiene and its link to good health.
In addition to outreach programs, Mission Swachhta aur Paani is also fueling change by empowering parents. It is a valuable repository of information on nearly every topic on toilets and sanitation. Creating a culture of good toilet hygiene is a collective responsibility. While some of us will be able to campaign to our local schools and municipalities for increased education and toilet access, some of us will do our part by engaging in conversations on social media, or just in our own homes.
Every conversation matters, provided it comes from a place of education and awareness. If each child in India makes it a habit to practice safe sanitation, and leave the toilet cleaner than they found it, we’re well on our way to becoming a Swasth and Swachh Bharat.
Mission Swachhta aur Paani serves to empower you with information on a wide range of topics related to toilet access and hygiene, so you too, can lead these conversations. Join us here, to do your part in this national transformation.