Sanjay Mathrani
Nov 1 · 2 min read

Story from Slum Area of Southern Sindh

Where there is a will, there is a way

By Saira Memon

For most of us who take the toilets in our homes for granted, the burning issue of 58% Pakistani practicing open defecation could be a flush worthy concept. But a nonprofit organization Thardeep working for the better of society holds up a mirror to society.

Ms. Aneela is a house wife. Her Husband name is Shahnawaz. She is a resident of village Maloo Babar, Community Organization Bihari, Village Organization Sartyun Union Council Jhangara. She is about 36 years old. She has 6 children, two girls and four boys. Her husband is a mason by profession. Due to no birth spacing she remains sick.

In her family there is no any latrine since her birth. They always use bushes of trees as a latrine. Her children always remain ill due to diarrhea and other diseases, but she didn’t realised the reason behind it. One day she attended a session on health and hygiene by Community Resource Person (CRP) at her village. She learnt the side effects of Open Defecation and the only reason of the diseases She also realized that the only preventive effort or the approach is to construct latrines by not doing Open Defecation and by using latrine and hand washing practices. She decided to construct a latrine at her home but her family didn’t provide any support, she convinced her husband to construct a latrine at their home. She constructed a latrine now for the first time in her family all members are using latrine and they are very happy. Now the all family’s health is better than last days.

She says that now she feels good, morally and culturally as a woman because she faces a lot while going into the fields or bushes for doing Open Defecation. Now she is comfortable and using a her latrine,which has reduced their illness issues and medical expenses that also counts as savings in her monthly income.

    Sanjay Mathrani

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