Using 21st century skills to solve an age old problem
In Nelamangala, Solve Ninjas used key 21st century skills of community collaboration, empathy, data orientation, problem solving and critical thinking to begin addressing the issue of open defecation.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India accounts for 59 percent of the 1.1 billion people in the world who practice open defecation, a practice that can have serious negative effects on both the health of individuals and the environment. One of the aims of the Swachh Bharat Mission is to put an end to open-defecation in India, yet despite an increase in sanitation network coverage, open defecation continues to be a widespread issue across the nation.
What are the reasons for people to urinate or defecate in public when there are public toilets near by? What rights and responsibilities around sanitation should citizens know? What nudges can be used to begin changing long standing behaviours?
Community collaboration, data collection and applied empathy
As a first step, youth volunteers reached out to local Panchayat Leaders to see if they could work together to tackle the issue of open defecation. Initially the Panchayat Leaders were a little skeptical about the idea, but as the work progressed they were very happy and excited.
The group targeted two spots — the Nelamangala Bus Stop and the TB Bus Stop — and jointly conducted a survey to understand why people urinated in public even though toilets were available right next to the bus stop. A total of 120 people were surveyed.
As a next step, volunteers cleaned the public toilets which put them in the shoes of those employed to maintain public toilets. They then stationed themselves nearby, requesting people who were about to urinate in public to use the toilets instead. Panchayat Leaders exercised their responsibility towards citizens and voluntarily spoke to members of the public urging them to use public toilets too.
Communication is key
Street plays are an excellent way to share important information in an engaging manner. In the evening a street play was performed to raise awareness about the importance of using a toilet, citizens’ right to safe and clean toilets and how men’s habit of public urination is a nuisance and trouble to women.
People appreciated the effort to talk about this widespread issue and some women in the audience invited the group to perform in their village as well.
Next Steps
The data from the survey will be compiled and a report will be submitted to the Commissioner of Nelamangala City Municipal. Bhaskar says that a mass report of areas affected by open defecation across Nelamangala will be done and the team will try to fix the issues with the help of volunteers.
Key reflections
At the end of the day volunteers reflected after working on the issue of open defecation and public toilets.
Not only did they reflect upon their own habits but they also thought about women’s right to accessing safe and clean toilets. Volunteers empathized with manual scavengers and maintenance labourers of public toilets. They knew that they were exercising their civic right when they questioned civic misbehavior in the form of public urination. And many resolved to continue to take action by working with local authorities
One volunteer Triveni shared that till her experience on World Toilet Day she was very quiet and afraid to speak in public. “But now I feel confident. I had never shown any interest in public problems like this, but now I am motivated to do something for society and give time to Yuva Shakti.” Triveni also shared that she wants to pursue her Masters in Social Work, a decision she took after joining Yuva Shakti.
