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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

Jan 27, 2022

in Children's Workshops, Community Mobilization, Sanitation, Women's Workshop, Workshops

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.**

Nov 30, 2021

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.

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.

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.

Jun 22, 2021

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.

May 17, 2021

in Article, Community Mobilization, Sanitation

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*

Mar 17, 2021

in Article, Individual Toilet Projects

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

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

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

Feb 16, 2021

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

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 9^th February 2021.

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

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

Dec 23, 2020

OUR JOURNEY OF REMOULDING DATA COLLECTION – FROM PAPER TO KOBO TOOLBOX TO AVNI

By Smita Kale

Lokmanya Nagar

Shelter Associates (SA), a Civil Society Organization founded in 1993, comprising architects, GIS experts, social workers, community workers and volunteers have carried extensive work in areas of cost-effective housing, basic infrastructural facilities, health, hygiene and sanitation while inspiring behavioural change in the slum dwellers. We work towards empowering communities living in informal settlements to pursue their right to dignity and sustainable life.

In this article, we talk about our approach of moving from Paper based field data collection to Kobo Toolbox, and then finally to Avni. We share some lessons learnt and explain the advantages we see of an offline-based Android app for form data capture.

Data-Driven Approach

One of the organisation’s core competencies lies in its data-driven approach. We follow a rigorous process of collecting data through surveys and mapping efforts. The slum data collected by the team is spatially organised using GIS software and presented as an overlay on Google Earth remote sensing imagery. The collated data is used for inclusive urban planning and implementing affordable housing and sanitation schemes across the slums in Maharashtra. You can see live dashboards on our website. Our data-driven approach using technology to plan citywide strategies for social housing has impacted the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) policy of GOI.

Screenshot of a live dashboard from SA website

In 2013 we undertook a landmark project ‘One Home One Toilet’ to deliver household toilets on a cost-sharing basis. The data-driven initiative follows a community-centric and an inclusive approach wherein it works closely with the municipal corporations right from validating data to toilet delivery. As of September 2020, SA has surveyed around 2,93,000 households for successful implementation of OHOT. It has impacted over 3,70,000 people directly & indirectly with a home toilet.

From Paper-based system to a digital system using KoboToolbox

In the early years of implementing various schemes, be it affordable housing or delivery of sanitation, data was collected through pen-paper surveys. Over the years we have shifted to other, more technological driven means of data collection. In 2016, we shifted our collection system to the Android-based open-source platform of KoBoToolbox. Kobo is one of the most popular data collection tools in development sector. It provides an offline mobile app for data collection, a web app for designing forms and an option to extract collected data for further analysis.

Moving to Kobo certainly was a good step forward but we soon started facing limitations with it.

Limitations with KoboToolbox

1. Lack of ability to view and update records from the mobile app

KoboCollect does not support offline editing of records once submitted. It requires internet and is too complex as described in this link. Lack of any alternative for modifications forced us to survey the households repeatedly where data needed to be updated. With the increasing scale of interventions in different slums across cities, this was not a viable solution for long.

2. Form-based data model as against Case-based

If we have to submit 50 responses for a slum, same slum name is to be entered 50 times. This slows down the work. Moreover, there was no way to validate to ensure the name entered is correct. Ideally, we would want a way to be able to pick from an available list or a dropdown. There are workarounds but no native case management support in KoboToolbox.

3. RedEployment required to change form design

We could not add a question to the existing form and if we do, we have to redeploy it and redeployment means losing existing data.

From Kobo Toolbox to Avni

While exploring solutions for these problems we came across the Avni application in a workshop organised by Tech4Dev platform in Pune. This open-source platform, with a rich data modelling approach, an offline app for data recording, web app for admin & form designing and different options to extract data, promised to solve the problems we were facing.

Initially, we started with the city of Kolhapur as a pilot. We first migrated our data from Kobo to Avni which turned out to be simple. Kobo provides a way to export data in excel and Avni provides a way to upload/import using CSV files. After importing the existing data, we soon initiated the data collection using Avni. To carry out the modifications accurately we trained our surveyors to use the application, fill in different types of forms and update any filled in data as per the required changes. The users found it easy and the pilot worked out really well. Thus we decided to adopt Avni for all our work and started using it for the Pune region as well.

SA surveyors using android technology for data collection

Benefits of moving to Avni from Kobo Collect

Below are the key differences and benefits we are noticing of using Avni over Kobo. We are listing these down for the benefit of those considering both these options for field work.

1. Ability to design a custom app using locations, subject, programs and forms from Avni data model

The most important difference between the two softwares is that Avni provided us with the ability to create app as per our data model and data collection process. We created our location hierarchy of City, Ward and Slums using locations; households are created as subjects and separate forms for different vertical services like property tax, solid waste management, metered water connection, etc.

SA Avni app data model

This provided us with 2 benefits

a. Avoid repetitive data collection

We register the household once and whenever a new service is provided, we record a new form by choosing an already registered household. This was not possible in Kobo and saves time and is very convenient to get real-time data.

b. Well modelled and segregated data enabling easy access to a subset of the entire data of a particular house

In the near future, household-level data collected can be shared and accessed with various departments of the Municipal Corporation to ensure work is carried out effectively. Data for sanitation, property tax, solid waste management, metered water connection, etc. once shared to the Municipal Corporation can be accessed for service delivery. For example, once a particular service like a metered water connection is provided to a household, the filled-in data can be retrieved and updated from a shared water connection to a metered water connection. As we collect and share data on different sectors, we can disintegrate it as per requirement and send it across various departments of the Municipal Corporation to link and use the collected data simultaneously. Once services are delivered the household data will be updated by our surveyors or the Municipal Corporation (if shared/access provided) and used further for monitoring tax collection, solid waste management, etc.

2. Ability to search, view and update records anytime in the mobile app

As described earlier, in Kobo Collect once the data is submitted it is not possible to view and edit them. In Avni, the records always stay in the device even after submitting to the server. They can be modified and synchronized again with the server. This is really helpful in the field!

Screenshots from SA Avni App

3. Ability to control access of data to surveyors based on their work areas

Another useful feature is the assignment of the catchment. The administrator can give access or remove access of any particular catchment to any surveyor. This has enabled us to maintain the privacy of the information as well.

4. Hassle free modification of forms

Avni supported easy modification of app design including forms without having to redeploy or losing data. This customized, editable solution for data collection has made our work effective and greatly reduced the efforts to maintain updated household-level data.

Smita Kale, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Shelter Associates, shares about their journey of moving from Paper based data collection to digital systems, first using Kobo Toolbox and then to Avni.

Article published at https://avniproject.org/blog/shelter-journey-remoulding-data-collection-paper-kobotoolbox-avni/

Mar 16, 2020