empowHER India's WaSH Journey: Building Foundations for Health and Dignity
At empowHER India, the journey to transform sanitation and hygiene practices has been nothing short of inspiring. Over the years, our efforts have focused on addressing the crucial intersection of health, education, and gender equality. Through our WaSH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programs, we’ve been able to create a significant impact, ensuring that adolescents, especially girls, have access to safe sanitation facilities and the knowledge to sustain hygienic practices for life.
The Challenge
In many parts of rural India, the lack of proper sanitation is not just an infrastructural gap but a profound societal challenge. As Anamara Baig, CEO of empowHER India, briefly puts it:
Health and dignity are so foundational for the well-being of adolescents. The lack of proper sanitation leads to an unhealthy relationship with hygiene. As a result, children will fall sick more often, girls are at a higher risk of dropping out of school. Not being able to relieve oneself in privacy leaves a deep psychological impact, in addition to safety issues. It has a grave impact on the life outcomes of an adolescent.
Our Approach
empowHER India's WaSH program was designed with a clear goal: to provide safe, dignified sanitation facilities while promoting a culture of health and hygiene that extends far beyond school boundaries.
| • | Infrastructure Development: To date, we have built over 2,500 individual toilets, providing safe sanitation to families, and constructed 9 school toilets to ensure adolescent girls can attend school with dignity. |
| • | Hygiene Education: Through interactive sessions, we have educated students on the importance of handwashing, menstrual hygiene, and the connection between hygiene and health. |
| • | Community Engagement: We actively engage with parents, teachers, and community leaders beyond schools to foster a collective commitment to hygiene and sanitation. |
| • | Toilet Retrofitting: We have retrofitted 10 toilets to improve hygiene and usability, ensuring facilities meet the highest standards of functionality and safety. |
The Impact
The numbers speak volumes about the transformative power of the WaSH initiative:
| • | 90% of girls reported feeling safer and more comfortable attending school post-intervention. |
| • | 85% of the students actively practice handwashing with soap at critical times. |
| • | 70% of parents noted a positive change in their children's hygiene habits at home. |
| • | Active in 6+ underserved locations in Raigad District, Maharashtra, the initiative has reached over 12,000 individuals, including 2,000 adolescents with better access to hygiene and sanitation. |
But beyond statistics, it's the stories of adolescents who no longer skip school during their menstrual cycles or suffer from preventable illnesses that truly highlight the program's success.
Building Habits for the Future
Saurabh Sareen, Program Head - WaSH, emphasizes the long-term vision of the initiative:
Starting sanitation practices early in childhood or adolescence lays the foundation for habits passed on to future generations. While schools serve as a platform, the real focus is building lifelong habits and creating a path beyond the classroom. With these habits ingrained, adolescents will grow up demanding safe sanitation, leading to long-term change. This approach not only breaks the cycle of unhygienic practices but also contributes to a cleaner, healthier Swachh Bharat.
As we reflect on the milestones achieved and the road ahead, one thing remains clear: access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is not just a basic right; it's a stepping stone to empowering the next generation. Together, let’s build a future where every adolescent can thrive with dignity, health, and the confidence to achieve their dreams.