Radho Manjhi, (40 years old) lives in Khairimal village of Jamunia Panchayat in Chakia Block of E. Champaran, Bihar. He belongs to Musher (SC) community and working as Agricultural labour during harvesting season as he has no land for agriculture. He has 5 children (3 daughters and 2 sons) and their family lives in a kutcha house. They are having hand pump near their house and using it for drinking cum domestic purposes. They cook food by wood and shrubs. But poverty made their life hard and lack of sanitation facility forced them towards open defecation.
To take them out from clutch of unhygienic life , AFPRO in collaboration with Monsanto India Pvt. Ltd. supported them with construction of Toilets. His wife and daughters says that, they were facing difficulty due to open defecation. Women in the family were feeling guilty and hesitation due to open defecation. If any member of their family is sick, then they have to go far away for open defecation which was a problem for them. They were having fear of snake biting and other insects due to open defecation. If they desire to defecation in day, they faces difficulty. Due to practice of open defecation, several times they were affected from diarrhoea and other water borne disease etc.
This toilet was constructed under AFPRO-MONSANTO Project. As constructed toilet is near to their house, its convenient to use the toilet. They carry water from the hand pumps by bucket and fills the tank made attached outside in the toilet. Tank water is used for toilet in night. After construction of toilet, they feel dignified. Their life style and behaviour is changed by using this toilet. We have also provided training to the community regarding sanitation. Radho Manjhi said “they have learned many things about sanitation in training conducted by AFPRO. Now they wash their hands with soap after using toilet and keep the toilet clean. Now they are less vulnerable to the water borne diseases”. Now they are very happy and thanks AFPRO and Monsanto for this initiative.
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