Sometimes it seems very difficult when we first take the initiative, but when we put all our continuous effort, we got the desired results. Indeed, behavior-changing is such a strenuous task. Traditional reserve about sanitary practice means that, of all the area has the lowest toilet coverage.
The Sandi Loir village is situated in the premises of Union Council Kamal Dero. Sandi Loir village 8 kilometers far from the Union Kamal Dero, 28 kilometers distant from the District Gambat and 36 kilometers out the way from the District Khairpur. The community belongs explicitly to the Shah Community in the Sandi Loir village and it consists of 70 houses and has a total population of 521 (101- men, 122-women, and 298 are children).
At the earlier phase of project when HANDS team visited and initiative towards behavior change of specific Shah Community. They have noticed that there is an inadequate facility for toilets.
A village the size of Slaeng typically deposits around 300 kilos of pathogenic excreta every week.
As a result, faecal matter lies about in the environment, contaminating water, soils and dust carried in the air, and augmenting the toll of disease. The villagers of the Sandi Lori village are very much restricted. There are specific restricted rules that they can’t let anyone enter in their community. They were very strict about the veil. No one could enter except the Shah people. WASH members of HANDS tried hard to get in the community but failed several times.
The female Social Organizers (SO) in the Sandi Lori village took a great step and conducted an awareness session specifically for the females of the community.
In the result of visits Village WASH Committee formed with community female members and those served their duties as Community resource persons and VWCs.
They gathered all the females in one place to aware the females about the worst impacts of the open defecation. In that session, the female SOs/CRP/ VWCs enlightened the females about the improper handling of excreta, side effects of the open defecation. Furthermore, in that session, they choose the female Community Resource Person (CRP) that particularly works for the betterment of society. Both the female SOs and female CRPs apprise them strictly follow the Islamic rules; then, in Islam, it is mandatory to take care of hygiene as half of Imaan.
It does not suit the females to defecate openly. Due to open defecation, they are welcome for various harmful diseases that will be fatal to their families. To sustain the community, they must take care their hygiene practices.
The awareness session got positive outcomes. A great number of females agreed to install the latrines in their houses to sustain society and prevent multiple air and water-borne diseases. The collaboration of the female CRPs, and female WASH SOs, succeeded in raising the point that toiles is the basic need of their daily lifestyles. As well as it is the key element for the sustainable society.
This is such a huge achievement for us to change the behavior of the community towards success.