पुरुष आणि मासिक पाळी

मासिक पाळी हा शब्दच चारचौघात महिला-मुलीनी  उच्चारणे म्हणजे महापाप असा अलिखित नियम समाजात रूढ असताना एखाद्या पुरुषाने मासिक पाळी बद्दल चारचौघात बोलणे  तर दुरापास्तच. समाजात आज सुद्धा स्त्रीच्या मासिक पाळी संदर्भात अनेक  गैरसमज व अंधश्रद्धा आहेत. काही दिवसांपूर्वी घडलेल्या एका घटनेचा इथे आवर्जून उल्लेख केला पाहिजे खरतर त्या आठवणीने सुद्धा अस्वस्थ व्हायला होते. बहिणीला आलेल्या  मासिक पाळी बद्दल गैरसमज करून घेतल्याने भावाने बहिणीचा जीव घेतला. अज्ञान माणसाला किती खोल गर्तेत घेऊन जाते हे या घटनेवरून स्पष्ट होते. देवाचा कोप या संकल्पने पासून सुरु झालेली अंधश्रद्धा शरीर संबंध झाल्याने रक्तस्त्राव होतोय असे समजून पाळी आलेल्या मुलीचा जीव जाई पर्यंत असू शकते. आजही बऱ्याच धर्मांमध्ये स्त्रीला मासिक पाळीच्या काळात अपवित्र मानलं जातं. आधुनिक वैज्ञानिक युगा मध्ये आजही मासिक पाळी संदर्भात समाजात इतकी अंधश्रद्धा का आहे याचा  विविध अनुषंगाने  विचार होणे आवश्यक आहे. 

वस्ती पातळीवर महिलांसाठी मासिक पाळी या विषयावर संवाद साधणे हे तर मोठे कौशल्याचे काम. सामूहिक सभेत  संवाद साधताना  एक महत्वाची गोष्ट लक्षात आली ती म्हणजे महिला आणि मुलींना अजूनही स्त्रीच्या शारीरिक रचने बद्दल पूर्ण माहिती असतेच असे नाही किंबहुना तशी माहिती मिळवण्याचा प्रयत्न करणाऱ्यांचे प्रमाण देखील कमी आहे.  जसे कान-नाक-डोळे-हात-पाय हे शरीराचे अवयव आहेत तसेच इतर भागांचा समावेश देखील अवयव म्हणूनच होतो या बद्दलच मुख्यतः अनभिज्ञता आहे. मासिक पाळी म्हणजे काहीतरी नवी समस्या, त्रास असून हा संभ्रम अगदी आयुष्यभर जोपासला जातो. महिलांची स्वतःच्या शरीराबाद्दलची गत जर अशी असेल तर मासिक पाळी समजुती बद्दलची  पुरुषांची स्थिती किती बिकट असेल याचा विचार न केलेलाच बरा. आज पर्यंत पुरुषांनी या बाबत जास्त माहिती न घेतल्याने स्त्रियांच्या मासिक पाळी बद्दल पुरुषांच्या मनात अनेक गैरसमज आहेत. तसेच याबाबतचे किती आणि कोणते स्त्रोत पुरुषांपर्यंत माहिती घेऊन पोहचले आहेत हे जाणून घेणे देखील तितकेच महत्वाचे वाटले. आणि यातूनच   वस्ती मधील पुरुषांसोबत आणि वयात येणाऱ्या तरुण मुलां बरोबर  मासिक पाळी संदर्भात संवाद साधायचे आणि नक्की या मुलांच्या डोक्यात या विषयी काय चालू आहे हे शोधायचे ठरले. 

पुरुषांना मासिक पाळीची बरोबर माहिती देणे गरजेचे आहे

पुण्यातील वस्त्यांमध्ये यासाठी संवाद साधण्यास सुरवात केली. या  विषयावर महिला, मुलींसोबत चर्चा करणे हे तरुणमुले व पुरुषांसोबत चर्चा करण्यापेक्षा सोपे असते. त्यांच्याशी संवाद साधताना मुळातच सुरवात कोठून करायची असा प्रश्न असतो. चर्चेसाठी खूप औपचारिक वातावरण तयार केले तर बहुतेकवेळा तरुण चर्चेला थांबतच नाहीत, मग अनुभव सांगणे हे तर फारच दूर. म्हणून शक्य तितके अनौपचारिक वातावरण तयार करून त्यांच्या सोबत चर्चा घडवण्यात आली.  मासिक पाळी म्हणजे काय? याविषयी एकतर  पुरुषांनी  आपसात  उघडपणे  चर्चा  करणे  अत्यंत अवघड आहे. सहाजिकच  या विषयावर तरुणांशी संवाद साधायला सुरुवात केल्यावर पहिली प्रतिक्रिया आली “ अहो  सर आपण दुसऱ्या विषयावर बोलूयात ” . जी  तरुणमुले  शाळा आणि महाविद्यालयात शिकत आहेत त्यांना सुद्धा स्त्रीला मासिक पाळी का येते याची शास्त्रीय माहिती नसते. बायकांच्या पोटात प्रत्येक महिन्याला काही तरी तयार होतं आणि ते सर्व घाणीच्या स्वरूपात प्रत्येक महिन्याला शरीरा बाहेर पडत असत. यातूनच शरीरातील अशुद्ध/ दूषित रक्त शरीरा बाहेर पडत ही भ्रामक कल्पना पुढे आली.

चर्चे दरम्यान तरुणांना मासिक पाळी संदर्भात माहिती मिळण्याचे स्त्रोत काय आहेत हे शोधण्याची उत्सुकता शिगेला पोहोचली होती. त्यांच्या बरोबर संवाद साधताना तुम्हाला शाळेत अथवा महाविद्यालयात मासिक पाळी आरोग्याबद्दल माहिती देत असतील ना? असा प्रश्न विचारल्यावर तरुणांकडून आलेले उत्तर मात्र पूर्णपणे बुचकळ्यात टाकणारे होते. शाळेत अथवा महाविद्यालयात वैयक्तिक आरोग्या संबंधी माहिती दिली जाते, परंतु त्यामध्ये मुलांना स्त्रीच्या मासिक पाळी वैगरे संबंधी काहीही माहिती दिली जात नाही. मुलींसाठी वेगळे माहिती सत्र असल्याने त्यांना कदाचित ही माहिती देण्यात येत असावी असे मत बहुतेक तरुणानी व्यक्त केले.  शैक्षणिक संस्थेतच ही माहिती तरुणांना देणे टाळले जात असेल तर स्त्रीच्या मासिक पाळी आणि आरोग्या संबंधी जागरूकता कशी निर्माण होणार? मूळ स्त्रोताकडून माहिती देणे नाकारले गेल्याने मुले त्यांच्या शालेय जीवनापासून माहिती मिळविण्याच्या उत्सुकतेपोटी विविध स्त्रोत शोधण्यास सुरवात करतात. हे स्त्रोत अचूक आणि शास्त्रीय दृष्टीकोनातून माहिती देणारे असतातच असे नाही. या उलट काहीवेळा  मुलांच्या मनात जास्तच गोंधळ निर्माण होतो परिणामी  त्याचे रूपांतर अशास्त्रीय दृष्टीकोनातं होऊन हिंसात्मक कृत्यांचा जन्म होतो.

शेल्टर ससोसिएट्स आणि Muse Foundation आयोजित मासिका महोत्सवात पुरुषही सहभागी

मासिक पाळी सुरु होण्याचे वय या संदर्भात सुद्धा वस्तीमधील युवकांना माहिती नसल्याचे निदर्शनास आले. अठराव्या वर्षी मुलीचे रूपांतर बाई मध्ये होते म्हणून मुलींना मासिक पाळी वयाच्या अठराव्या वर्षी येते असे बहुतेक युवकांचे मत होते. पाळी म्हणजे काहीतरी घाणेरडा प्रकार असतो कारण तेव्हा शरीरातील दूषित रक्त बाहेर टाकले जाते आणि त्यामुळे खूप आजार पसरू शकतात असाही गैरसमज असतो. पोटामध्ये महिनाभर दूषित रक्त जमा होते आणि मग महिन्याभराने  ते शरीरा बाहेर टाकले जाते आणि ते बाहेर जाणेच  चांगले कारण त्यामुळे शरीरातील रक्त शुद्ध होते…अशा कित्येक भ्रामक कल्पना आहेत. खरे पाहता योग्य वेळी या संदर्भात मार्गदर्शन मिळाले तर असा गैरसमज होण्याची वेळच येणार नाही. घरामध्ये आईची किंवा बहिणीची होणारी चिडचिड समजू शकली नाही याचे कारण घरामध्ये कधीही मासिक पाळी आणि त्या वेळेची   स्त्रियांची  मानसिक स्थिती  या विषयी कधीच  बोलले गेले  नसल्याचे  युवकांनी सांगितले.

खरंतर पौंगडावस्थेत मुला-मुलींमध्ये होणारे शारीरिक बदल, आरोग्य, मासिक पाळी, त्यासाठी घ्यावयाची काळजी, स्वच्छता या सर्व मुद्यांवर मुलांबरोबर घरगुती पातळीवर मोकळेपणाने चर्चा होणे महत्वाचे व गरजेचे आहे . परंतु बरेचदा पालकांना याचे महत्व कळत नाही किंवा हा विषय चर्चा करण्यासारखा आहे असे देखील त्यांना वाटत नाही. वस्तीपातळीवर तर पालक घरामध्ये सर्वाना दोनवेळेचे जेवण मिळेल किंवा नाही अशा सारख्या प्रश्नात गुंतलेले असतात. म्हणजेच या प्रश्नावर सामाजिक आणि आर्थिक परिस्थितीचा देखील प्रभाव पडत असतो.

योग्य मार्गदर्शनाने पुरुष स्त्रियांना मासिक पाळीच्या वेळी आधार देऊ शकतात

योग्य स्त्रोतांद्वारे माहिती न मिळाल्याने साहजिकच उत्सुकतेपोटी तरुण अयोग्य स्त्रोतांच्या मार्गाने माहिती मिळवितात, जी त्यांच्या मानसिक आणि शारीरिक विकासासाठी घातक ठरू शकते. अश्लील साहित्य, ऐकीव माहिती हे त्यामधील प्रमुख स्त्रोत असल्याचे या युवकांकडून समजले. बऱ्याच वेळा तरुणांना त्यांच्या प्रेयसीकडून काही प्रमाणात माहिती समजते असे सुद्धा काही तरुणांनी सांगितले. परंतु प्रेयसीकडून समजलेली माहिती कितपत अचूक आहे या बद्दलही साशंकता आहे. कारण अजूनही शहरी वस्त्यांमध्ये स्त्रीच्या  मासिक पाळी संदर्भात अंधश्रद्धा आहेत.  महिलांसोबत शारीरिक आरोग्य, मासिक पाळी अशा विषयावर काम करणाऱ्या खंडीभर संस्था सध्या समाजात कार्यरत आहेत. पुण्यातील वस्त्यांमध्ये देखील विविध सामाजिक संस्था याप्रकारचे कार्य करत आहेत. तसेच  शासकीय पातळीवर देखील कार्यक्रम राबविले जातात . परंतु तरीही आजपर्यंत मासिक पाळी आणि स्त्रीचे शारीरिक  आरोग्य या संबंधी मोठ्याप्रमाणावर अंधश्रद्धा आणि गैरसमज  आहेत  याची जाणीव काम करताना होत आहे . शासकीय व सामाजिक संस्थां शास्त्रीय दृष्टिकोन विकसित करण्यात का कमी पडत आहेत हा एक महत्वाचा प्रश्नच आहे. वैयक्तिक आरोग्य आणि मासिक पाळी याविषयां संबंधी महिलांप्रमाणेच पुरुषां सोबत बरोबरीने काम व्हायला  पाहिजे पण  ते का होत नाही असे प्रश्न अनुत्तरीतच आहेत. मासिक पाळी व आरोग्य नियोजनामध्ये पुरुषांचा सहभाग असणे अत्यंत जरुरीचे असून याबाबत काम होणे आवश्यक आहे. आज पर्यंत केवळ कुतूहलापोटी तरी किती पुरुषांनी सॅनिटरी पॅड हातामध्ये घेऊन पहिला असेल का  याबद्दलही प्रश्नच आहे…

– मंगेश कदम, Mobilization Training Manager (शेल्टर ससोसिएट्स)

मंगेशचा व्यावसायिक समाजकार्य आणि विकास क्षेत्रातील १० पेक्षा जास्त वर्षांचा अनुभव. पत्रकारिता मधील बॅचलर पदवी, व्यावसायिक समाज कार्यातील मास्टर पदवी, तत्वज्ञानातील मास्टर पदवी, तत्वज्ञानातील डॉक्टर पदवी (सुरू आहे).

SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUATION

What if women stopped menstruating? The very world would cease to exist.. It’s a pathway to bring the most conscious beings called humans into existence. But ironically, any discussion on this beautiful natural phenomenon of the body is taboo, and has adversely impacted girls and women in our society for generations. 

Every month, 1.8 billion women across the world menstruate. Millions of these girls, women, transgender men and non-binary persons cannot manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified and healthy way. The onset of menstruation is a new phase of body and mind, but it often gets stigmatised and socially excluded. It is an unspoken subject; therefore, many women and girls are unaware of its functioning, leading to many misbeliefs. 

Why women suffer in silence?

The absorbent to collect menstrual blood differed as per the times. In ancient and mediaeval times, women were not using anything and their clothes soaked in the discharge.. There are references that they used to wear sweet-smelling herbs around their wrists and neck to lower the menstrual blood smell. There are references to using a Hoosier Sanitary Belt that they put around the waist. Since menstruation is associated with shame and taboo and women were considered untouchables during this cycle, they never discussed the proper absorbents to protect and ease the process. Even today, many women use an old cloth as absorbent and hide it from public view. It is kept in unhygienic conditions, dried in inadequate, or hidden under other material. This practice has created massive health issues for women. 

In the modern era, disposable sanitary pads were introduced. Such products have wood pulp, plastic, and many chemicals such as polypropylene and polyethylene to enable lick-free self-adhesive pads. Since it is a disposable product, women were relieved from the pain they have been through. But the fact remains that now female genitals are closely associated with loaded chemicals and plastic. It is harming not only the female body but also the mother earth. The entire content of disposable pads is plastic which takes approximately 500-800 years to disintegrate after disposal. Assuming one billion DSNs are disposed of yearly, handling menstrual waste becomes a colossal task. This also contributes to the waste crisis overall.

To resolve this issue, nowadays, incinerators have been introduced to burn used pads. Over the years, disposable pads have spoiled the soil, and the new innovation is now polluting the air. With burning, all the pollution goes into the air. The women and girls residing in low-income communities are more vulnerable as they don’t even have safe and private access to menstruation, so they often depend on public or community sanitation facilities in slum communities. 

It is time women living in slums break the shackles of misinformation and shame.

We at SA, rigorously work and advocate for home toilets. Our ‘One Home One Toilet ‘project has reached more than 26,500 households across seven cities of Maharashtra and has resolved this concern for many women and girls. Still, disposing of the used pads is an issue. It is observed that these pads get dumped in toilet windows or a toilet pan directly, resulting in choked drains and unhygienic health concerns for many. 

Considering all of it, Shelter Associates is committed to handling this crisis in a unique way. We are promoting sustainable menstruation in the communities we are working with.  breaking the taboos and celebrating it publicly. SA  especially focuses on young women and adolescent girls and invites them for in-depth workshops on menstrual health. Such workshops explain the basic body anatomy and reproductive organs and their functioning. Most of the time, it is observed that women are unaware of how their genitals are from the outside or inside. There is a discussion around various misbeliefs about menstruation that gets answered with scientific information in workshops. 

SA consciously tries to switch menstruating women from using hazardous disposal pads towards adopting sustainable and eco-friendly menstrual hygiene products such as biodegradable sanitary napkins, reusable cloth pads, and menstrual cups. 

 Women are introduced to eco-friendly menstrual hygiene products like menstrual cups and cloth pads

Milestones of this initiative: 

  • More than 2,200 women have switched to sustainable products such as biodegradable pads, cloth pads, and menstrual cups. 
  • Out of which, 600 women switched to using a menstrual cup, which means 5,76,000 pads are now saved from going to dumping sites while using this one cup. 
  • On average, one box of pad costs Rs. 50. These women have saved Rs. 28,80,000 for the next eight years. 
  • 529 women have used biodegradable products, which would take six to 12 months to decompose otherwise. 
  • 86 women have started using cloth pads, which means we saved pollution by stopping disposing of more than 10000 pads.  
  • Together they saved more than Rs. 1,00,000

Women and girls participated across cities to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day with SA!

We look forward to making each community achieve zero-waste menstruation. We hope this campaign reaches to more cities, states and eventually more nations. We need conscious actions towards making a difference in not only human lives but our environment as well. We are interdependent by nature, and it’s time to take action now to ensure synergy between all the living beings on our planet and who better than the woman to take the lead!

People across ages and genders came together to promote the need for safe menstruation!

– Blog is written by Dhanshree Gurav, Director (WASH), Shelter Associates

Dhanshree has been championing the right of women to access safe sanitation and sustainable menstruation since a decade. With a soul of an environmentalist, she applies the sustainability lens to all our sanitation related interventions.

MAPPING THE WILD

Hello everyone!

My name is Rohit Kalpande. I recently joined the NGO Shelter Associates as a Junior GIS analyst. The first month at this organisation was all about understanding and adapting to the work and my responsibilities. I was elated when I was asked to join the GIS team that was to visit Kotagiri, a beautiful hill station in the Nilgiris. I was very excited as this was going to be an enriching learning experience and an opportunity to collaborate with the Keystone Foundation. 

Keystone Foundation is a not-for-profit that has been working towards improving the well-being of indigenous people, local communities and the ecosystems that sustain them for the past 30 years. The foundation is committed to addressing environmental issues that worsen climate change, promoting gender equality by empowering women, and preserving traditional livelihood opportunities while safeguarding indigenous knowledge systems. Owing to our experience in spatial data mapping, we were roped in to undertake the mapping of 4 settlements in Kotagiri taluka. 

Every day at Kotagiri was a new experience for me. Even though the area, settlements and people were different, I observed that one thing remains constant – people are facing similar problems and are in dire need of effective solutions.  Meetings were conducted in every settlement where the process and usage of spatial maps were explained to the community and the Keystone staff members. I was pleased by the curiosity and excitement of the community. Over the week we carried out the mapping, numbering of structures and surveys. Our stint in Kotagiri ended with a presentation on the various maps produced and how it can be leveraged to trace patterns of wildlife and the living conditions of the community. They recognised the power of data and how it can be utilised to save the human and wildlife population. 

As a newbie in the GIS department, this was a complete eye-opener. I was able to understand the process of spatial data mapping and how it can contribute to real life problem solving. The pleasant weather and picturesque tea plantations were the icing on the cake. I look forward to the opportunity of gaining more exposure to spatial data mapping and witnessing the impact it has on improving people’s lives. 

-Rohit Kalpande, Junior GIS Analyst

Shelter Associates

LEARNING MIXED WITH FUN AT THIS YEAR’S AVNI SPRINT IN GOA

Beautiful beaches, food, and pleasant climate are what come to our mind when we think of Goa. Recently, I got a chance to visit this amazing tourist destination to attend a Tech Sprint hosted by Avni. This annual event brings together Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from across the country to discuss their work and how the Avni platform is utilized to resolve some of the most pressing social and environmental issues.

What is Avni?

Avni is an open-source platform for doing field surveys and data collection. It also acts as a Case management system for non-profit organizations. It provides facilities to work with different sectors – like health, water, education, and sanitation & hygiene.

Avni – Bringing new technology to Non-profits

The three-day event included a wide range of activities, such as NGO tech talks, panel discussions, and knowledge-sharing sessions. The first day began with a unique introduction session where all the participants got to know one another, and share delicacies brought from their respective states. This was followed by an NGO talks session, during which NGOs shared their experiences and highlighted the impetus provided by Avni to their social development work.

It was encouraging to see organizations working across sectors like health, water, education and social welfare using avni very efficiently for the betterment of the society. We at Shelter Associates, utilize the Avni platform and GIS technology to collect, organize and publish slum data.
One of the main topics for discussion at this year’s event was the Roadmap and Feature of Avni. Deep dive sessions were conducted on the Avni- Glific integration and how organizations could retrieve data from Avni.

My takeaway from the sprint
After a day loaded with tech discussions, we decided to unwind by taking in Goa’s stunning sunset at the beach. Totally refreshed and recharged by Goa’s breathtaking natural beauty, we cherished every bit of the break.
This tech conference was a huge success, providing a platform for all the attendees to learn and share the latest developments in technology. It was inspiring to learn how Non-profits across our country are using new technology to solve our society’s pressing problems. Though the conference is just over, I am already looking forward to the next Avni sprint!
 
Kuldeep Lodha,
Software Developer,
Shelter Associates

PERIOD POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

Menstruation is an essential component of women’s reproductive cycle. However, in most parts of the world, it is still considered taboo and is rarely spoken about. Menstrual rituals and taboos have a severe impact on the lives of women and adolescent girls, reinforcing gender inequity and exclusion. Furthermore, studies have shown a strong link between poor menstrual hygiene and infections of the urinary or reproductive system, as well as other illnesses. Even well-educated women and girls have very less knowledge on menstruation than they must possess. It is true as people in their family never talked about PERIODS before. Girls start menstruating between the age group of 9-12 years and ignorance can lead to a different state of mind when approaching the first period. With stomach cramps and the fear of getting clothes stained, handling the menstruation cycle can be very challenging for every girl. In low-income areas, people start using rags while others have sanitary pads, menstrual cups, or tampons as an alternative. Each product has its benefits and drawbacks. Sanitary pads cause the most harm to nature as well as health. In a lifetime a woman uses around 11,000 menstrual pads which are either non-degradable or take a long time to degrade. The gel in the pads is harmful to individuals as it can clog the cervix from menstruating.

Menstrual hygiene workshops conducted for adolescent girls.

Women have their ways and preferences of handling the menstrual phase of their life. Personal preferences, resource availability, economic position, cultural customs and beliefs, education status, and knowledge about menstruation all have a role in how these techniques are implemented across the world. Menstruation hygiene practices are of great significance since they have a health impact; if ignored, they can lead to toxic shock syndrome, reproductive tract infections (RTI), and other vaginal diseases. In rural areas, women use clothes that create less pollution but are not always convenient. In some areas, women use sanitary pads but they dispose of them according to the availability of place, and their monthly habits. Sanitary pads from different brands cost a lot of money with a huge amount of waste generated; while on the other hand cotton cloth or rags are cost-effective with zero pollution. The best solution for zero waste during menstruation is to use good-quality reusable cloth pads or menstrual cups. These are safe for the body and the environment. The only prerequisite is to clean it properly and dry it before storing it until its next use.  Use of safe and hygienic-sanitary products is one thing, but most importantly one should not be afraid of sharing their menstrual issues at home or with friends or family. Knowledge about female anatomy and changes that occur during menstruation should be educated in early adolescence. Your daughter or sister might be uncomfortable talking with you about their period as you would be, but this is the time to break barriers and communicate to educate. Menstruation should not be considered taboo in our society as every family has a mother, sister, or wife who goes through periodic pain and needs emotional as well as physical relief during the four days of menstruation.

Menstrual hygiene workshops conducted with community people.

Training and workshops on menstruation and menstrual hygiene management should be organized to enhance the knowledge of menstrual hygiene. Primary and Secondary school teachers should be taught and instructed on how to teach kids about menstruation and maintaining cleanliness and hygiene during such times. Adolescent girls and women should be made aware of the latest menstrual products, different manufacturers, healthy practices, government policies, and so on through personal interactions as well as social and electronic media. Subsidies on menstrual products should be provided so that every woman can afford them. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should step forward to teach rural residents about menstruation, menstrual hygiene, the necessity of home toilets, benefits of effective hand washing, knowledge about diseases of the reproductive tract caused by inadequate cleanliness, and so on. To avoid the problem of disposal, emphasis should be placed on the usage of reusable sanitary or cloth pads.

Shelter Associates is an NGO working for the welfare of the urban poor through its WASH interventions and has taken various measures to bring safe sanitation for the slum dwellers. A need to bring about transformation was urgently felt and we started conducting menstrual hygiene workshops for women living in informal settlements where we create awareness on the topic while advocating the use of cost-friendly and Eco-friendly products like cloth pads or menstrual cups. So far, we have conducted 100 such workshops in Navi Mumbai, and through discussions, sharing personal experiences, and demonstrations in a safe and friendly environment, we have helped more than 1300 women adopt the use of cloth pads or menstrual cups. Regular follow-up and guidance encourage them to spread the word within their communities. We plan to begin workshops in Pune, Thane, and Kolhapur soon.

Workshops conducted with school teachers regarding use of reusable menstrual pads.

Why celebrate Toilets?

Talking about toilets is really uncomfortable but we at Shelter Associates do just that – we not only talk about Toilets but also help underprivileged people build one. According to UN-Water, 15% of people in the world don’t have access to a toilet. Every day, over 700 children in India under five year old die from diarrhea linked to unsafe water, sanitation and poor hygiene. Toilet at home means menstruating girls, elderly and disabled people do not have to face the indignity of relieving outside. Have you ever imagined yourself living without a toilet? Life without a toilet at home is dirty, inconvenient, dangerous and undignified.

Clean and decorated toilet at Shramik Nagar, Pune.

Tackling the global sanitation crisis and achieving sustainable development goal #6, we need to provide water and sanitation for all by 2030. Despite the fact that sanitation is a recognized human right by the United Nations, there is an urgent need for a massive investment and innovation to quadruple progress all along the sanitation chain, from toilets to the transportation, collection, and treatment of human waste. The main theme of U.N-Water this year is valuing toilets. The main aim is to focus on the underfunded, poorly managed parts of the world, mostly with disastrous repercussions for health, economy, and the environment, particularly in the poorest and most vulnerable families. Shelter Associates started working on sanitation  in Maharashtra even before sanitation started drawing the attention of the Government of India. In 2013 Shelter Associates started the landmark project, “One Home One Toilet”, to deliver household toilets to the families at informal settlements on a cost-sharing basis.

Blessed to have a toilet at home.

According to the Government Of India, India is the largest open defecating nation in the world, where almost 15 percent of the total population have no access to sanitation which has a detrimental impact on the health, education, financial security, and safety of people living in informal communities. SA facilitates access to sanitation in informal settlements by: (1) setting up a very robust spatial data platform to pinpoint families who lack access to basic sanitation, (2) facilitating the construction of household toilets, (3) conducting various behavioral change activities to increase awareness within the community and (4) providing a forum for discussing sanitation issues.

On the occasion of World Toilet Day on 19th November 2021, Shelter Associates celebrated the milestone of completion of 24000+ individual toilets in various informal settlements of Pune, Thane, Kolhapur and Navi Mumbai along with the completion of the 100th individual toilet in Shramik Vasahat community in the Vishrantwadi ward of Pune. Present at the event were different dignitaries from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and local leaders from the area. 

Drawings made by children.

Often neglected are the ones who keep our community toilets safe and sanitized, such caretakers of community toilets from the 4 cities were felicitated as ‘Sanitation Warriors’ by the esteemed guests. Their efforts and years of hard work were appreciated by all. The day was marked with events to increase awareness of sanitation issues. Members from various informal settlements of Pune, Thane, Kolhapur and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporations participated in the Toilet decoration competition, drawing competition, musical chairs, ‘Majhi galli, Swachh galli’ initiative and other events related to sanitation. 

Felicitation of “Sanitation Warriors”.

These joint efforts of community members, Government officials of the 4 Municipal Corporations, and Shelter Associates team were lauded by all guests as a model worth emulating for other communities. Sustained dedication and commitment by all stakeholders alone can help us achieve our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of clean water and adequate sanitation for all by 2030. 

SUSTAINABLE SANITATION FOR THE FUTURE: Allocation of CTB Seats

Over the years, the slum population in India has soared along with its growing urban population. Regarded as an area unsuitable for human habitation with deplorable sanitation conditions, slums in India often fight over concerns of good health and hygiene.

Traditionally, slum dwellers had to depend on Community sanitation as home toilets were not even considered as a possibility by the urban local bodies. As per the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), it is estimated that families residing in slum settlements are most likely to use community sanitation facilities as a solution to open defecation due to space and financial constraints in constructing a home toilet. However, for the first time with the launch of SBM, there was immense thrust given to providing household toilets in slums wherever possible.

Shelter Associates, an NGO working in seven cities of Maharashtra, have been focusing on improving the sanitation situation in the informal settlements through facilitation of household toilets. With SA’s focused efforts on the facilitation of home toilets, many slums have become ODF and ODF+ in these cities. However, there is always a small percentage of families who can get left out due to various constraints and continue to be dependent on Community toilets.

Beneficiary of an individual household toilet facilitated by Shelter Associates

Hence the moot question is how to create sustainable sanitation practices in the use of community toilets? This is especially important in the context of COVID19 with its concerns of community hygiene.

In settlements where SA has facilitated OHOT, the direct impact was the reduction of pressure on community toilets as more and more families opted for a home toilet. In some slums the Community toilet seat to family ratio is reduced between 1:2 to 1:4. Shelter Associates have therefore strategized on distributing the CTB toilet seats to individual families who do not own a home toilet. Every toilet seat within the CTB will be allocated to two or three resident families who would be responsible for its upkeep.

This will provide multiple benefits to the families; Firstly, it would eliminate waiting time. Secondly, since the seats would be used only by 2-3 families who would also undertake the cleanliness and upkeep of the toilets and keep it locked when not in use, they are likely to be well maintained. This will ease the maintenance burden on the ULB’s. This is a very well strategized solution that has been initiated in the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Shelter Associates has collaborated with HT Parekh Foundation and Kolhapur Municipal Corporation for the Urban WASH project in 8 slum settlements of Kolhapur. These settlements house over 1200 families, out of which over 680 families use 19 Community Toilets. Shelter Associates have therefore initiated facilitation of household toilets wherever possible followed by advocacy with the ULB to repair/refurbish toilet seats where necessary, installation of hand wash stations and the CTB Seat Distribution in all these project slums as part of providing holistic sanitation solutions in the slums.

Analysing the CTB situation along with KMC Deputy Commissioner and other officials
Visiting families who are unable to opt for a home toilet due to space constraint

In one of the project slum settlements of Phulewadi in Kolhapur where the model is adopted, there are a total of 4 Community Toilet Blocks. After SA’s intervention in the slum through the household toilet facilitation, only 31 families comprising 132 individuals now use the CTB. With the reduced CTB seat to person ratio, it was decided to distribute the seats among families who were still dependent on the CTB. The Male and Female CTB toilet seats have been  distributed to families of that settlement after a series of consultation with the community.  Through this initiative, only the allocated families can use the toilet seat as they will be provided locks and keys for the same. They have also undertaken the responsibility of maintenance and upkeep of their allocated toilet.

Public event with the KMC officials and Phulewadi residents to announce the allocation of CTB seats
Map of Phulewadi (Kolhapur) showing gender-wise distribution of CTB seats to families

This model illustrates a win-win situation for all the stakeholders since it allows equal distribution of sanitation facilities to the communities while also lowering the maintenance burden on the Government bodies. This model has the potential to be scaled across 24 informal settlements of Kolhapur where the toilet seat to family ratio has reduced drastically. Scaling the project further, wherever possible, individual household toilets can be facilitated to create additional scope for allocating CTB seats to households who are unable to get a home toilet constructed.

This is a step in the direction of safe community sanitation. In this model there is a move to shift responsibility of maintenance from the ULB to the community by converting the status of the CTB from public to semi private toilets.

NO MASK NO TASK – An effort to encourage 100% mask use

It has been proven by medical experts and researchers across the world that the use of masks can slow down the spread of Corona Virus which is highly infectious and spreading rapidly across the globe.  It spreads mainly through respiratory droplets; and therefore, a good and correctly  placed mask not only protects oneself but also from spreading it to others. Having said that time and again, a large section of the population, also those living in the informal settlements are very casual and carefree about wearing masks, more so because they have a lot of misconceptions regarding COVID19 and sometimes due to the false beliefs that it won’t affect their locality/community. Although the lockdown has imposed strict restrictions on the movement of residents,  and strict code of conduct for business and commercial areas  across cities, there is a certain laxity in following the precautionary measures across all strata of the society.

Shelter Associates, an NGO working around the implementation of WASH in the informal settlements of Maharashtra, even during such challenging conditions, is mobilising slum communities around  household toilets  and COVID19 prevention. Observations from the communities suggest an urgent need to spread awareness on the use of masks  and its importance. Whether  buying regular grocery items, going to the medical store for medicines or visiting the community toilet; most of the residents prefer to go out without masks for their daily chores. Another thing noticed is that many people are wearing masks, but only partially covering the mouth and nose , which entirely defeats the purpose of wearing one. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Shelter Associates has initiated the ‘No Mask No Task’ campaign with the sole objective of creating awareness on 100% mask use in the informal settlements of Maharashtra. The campaign is active in the selected slum settlements of Navi Mumbai and Kolhapur.

Community Volunteers mobilizing residents on 100% mask use at public places

As a part of this campaign, the community volunteers visit door to door to educate families to use masks while moving out of their homes; inform shopkeepers and street vendors to strictly enforce the use of mask during transactions; communicate with CTB Caretakers to prevent residents from using the toilets unless they wear a proper mask while entering. For the success of this campaign, the community volunteers are trained extensively on COVID19 background, its spread and preventive measures. Unless fully convinced, they will not be in a position to effectively communicate the need for a mask, therefore SA has taken extra efforts in briefing communities and motivating people to follow related precautionary steps.

Informative posters being displayed within the slum vicinity

To make the campaign more effective, community volunteers have also printed eye-catching and informative posters while some created handmade posters in places where printing is not possible due to the lockdown. These posters are displayed at prominent places around the settlement such as shops, busy corners, Community Toilets etc., creating continuous visibility and making immediate visual impressions on its onlookers. The posters have been reaching a wide audience, especially in these densely packed slum areas where many people are likely to see them. Supporting the efforts of Shelter Associates, responsible residents within the community also play a pivotal role in the advocacy of mask use by creating posters and spreading awareness in the interest of other residents.

And now that we all are expecting to hit the third wave COVID19 which is projected to be much more harmful than the present wave, there exists a need for extensive mobilization where individuals are educated on the significance of mask use, within their communities. While it takes a lot of effort to create behavioural change among the people, if we don’t fight this war now, we will definitely fall victim to this pandemic. If a majority of people behave responsibly, we will certainly minimise the impact of this life-threatening catastrophe. Let’s be safe and keep others safe!

A small boy from the community displays a poster made by him

BRINGING LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE ‘OHOT’ INITIATIVE

The last few months witnessed a major setback in the Indian Economy and the overall work space, especially the informal sector bearing the brunt. The COVID19 pandemic hit hard on the daily wage earners and the migrant labour. Work opportunities coming to a standstill, has constricted the livelihood of the labour class of people belonging to the construction industry working as masons, plumbers, ground diggers, tile fitting workers, painters, etc. who on an average, earn Rs.400 – Rs.500 per day.

Even while this adverse scenario continues to stay, a considerable contribution towards the livelihood of the people from this segment comes from Shelter Associates’ ‘One Home One Toilet’ initiative. This cost sharing sanitation model of facilitating household toilets to the families of urban slum settlements came into existence in the year 2013 and has now impacted the lives of over 1 lakh individuals directly through the facilitation of over 22000 home toilets. Not only has it led to healthier families through an improved sanitation facility, but also proved to be a livelihood opportunity for the skilled and unskilled labour mostly residing within the communities who are a part of the toilet construction process.

Cost of toilet  construction

Cost of toilet construction

While the pandemic led to unemployment and a halt in the construction projects, having a home toilet gained greater prominence considering the safety & hygiene threats involved with community sanitation. During such a crisis when the daily wage labour had to face financial miseries, the OHOT model of Shelter Associates provided livelihood to many skilled and unskilled labour who could see a source of income through the toilet construction work. The toilet construction further incentivised renovations and reconstruction of houses as a step towards an elevated standard of living, adding to the income of masons and other casual labour involved.

Toilet construction work in progress

Toilet construction work in progress

For the construction of 22000 household toilets, nearly 13,53,000 manhours were utilized. This meant more employment opportunities and a reduction in the transport cost as most of the masons and other labour involved in the toilet construction stayed in the immediate vicinity. Shelter Associates could thus leverage nearly 15.6 crores towards labours charges for drainage led toilets and close to Rs. 2.75 crores towards the labour for construction of septic tank toilets. Overall, Rs. 18.3 crores have been a revenue for the skilled and unskilled labour involved in the construction of 22000 individual household toilets, which is still counting.

“I have been working as a mason for several years. The situation of COVID19 and Lockdown impacted my work greatly as I had no job for almost 6 months. Shelter Associates’ intervention of donating toilet construction materials to the families was a major source of livelihood for me. I started getting regular income as the families approached me for their toilet construction work.”
– Kapanna Laxman Pathrut, Mason (Kanan Nagar, Kolhapur)

The ‘One Home One Model’ has proved to play a dual role in community development. One being the assurance of safety, hygiene and well-being to the toilet owners and the other to provide income opportunities to the labour community involved in getting a beautiful home toilet available to the needy families.

Completed beneficiary toilets

Completed beneficiary toilets

FELICITATING SHELTER ASSOCIATES SWACHHTA CHAMPIONS

As part of the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, the Government of India conducts ‘Swachh Sarvekshan’ which is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India. Through interactions with States and ULBs, every city felicitates individuals and organizations who have played an active role in creating cleaner cities.

Swachh Survekshan 2021

Swachh Survekshan 2021

Recognizing the contribution of Shelter Associates towards facilitating safe sanitation in the urban slum settlements, creating awareness & relief campaigns during COVID19 and impacting the lives of many through various WASH projects, GIS experts and Community Workers from the organization were honored during a felicitation ceremony organized by Pune Municipal Corporation on 9th February 2021.

Felicitating team Shelter Associates

Felicitating team Shelter Associates

The dignitaries present at the ceremony were Madhav Jagtap (Head of Solid Waste Department and Deputy Commissioner, PMC), Kunal Khemnar (Additional Deputy Commissioner, PMC), Asha Raut (Ghole Road Regional Officer and Assistant Commissioner, PMC), Avanti Kadam (Head CSR, Cummins Corporation) among others.

PMC Dignitaries, Corporate CSR representatives and team Shelter Associates

PMC Dignitaries, Corporate CSR representatives and team Shelter Associates

GIS experts Pradeep Waje and Tanaji Raut and Community Workers Dilip Kamble, Birudev Changire, Sanjay More, Sunita Gurav, Soni Chavan and Subodhini Dhavare were honored with certificates and bouquets by the dignitaries.

www.shelter-associates.org