Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Importance of safe water, sanitation and hygiene: 

Right to WASH is an important right and is also necessary for health, nutrition, education and other outcomes for children.

Girls and women are particularly affected by poor WASH, as are people living with disabilities. It is critical in times of stability and crisis both in rural and urban settings.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set an ambitious vision to achieve universal access to “safely managed” water sanitation and hygiene (including hygiene): defining a higher level of service, while prioritizing the poorest and most vulnerable.

Our WASH strategy is aligned with SDG 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030 and achieving the same in the project locations we work and for the communities we work with.

TWF Objectives are aligned with the Government of India’s Objectives:

• Construction/renovation of toilets in Institutions like Schools, ICDS, community toilets and promote behavior change by undertaking massive Information, Education and communication campaigns to ensure use, sustainability and adequate operation& maintenance (O&M) of toilets.
• Enable rural households to have access to and use safe & adequate drinking water within premises to the maximum extent possible and focus on saving water through behavior change of urban households.
• Focus on Fluoride / Arsenic affected habitations.
• Ensure planning and implementation of Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) in all Gram Panchayats/Urban Local Bodies with focus on segregation of waste at source for zero/minimum waste.

TWF Strategies

• Demand-driven construction of toilets with focus on institution-based water, sanitation & hygiene (CB-WASH) system to ensure accountability and maintenance of the toilets.
• Strong behavior change mechanism (IPC and grassroots task forces) to maximize the return on investment (time, funds and efforts).
• Management of waste at source
• Cleanliness drives at popular places for focused and sustained attention.
• Technology-based monitoring system for greater effectiveness.
• Recognition to community-based groups and individuals for driving change in the community.

TWF Focus

• Access to safe drinking water sanitation and hygiene in rural homes
• Toilets in homes moving closer to Open Defecation-Free communities
• Water & Sanitation in Schools and ICDS centers
• Management of organic and inorganic waste at source, with special focus on reducing the use of plastic and managing the recycling process.

Pneumonia and Diarrhoea are the most common causes of death in children under the age of five. One of the most efficient and affordable ways to prevent these diseases is by washing your hands with soap and water. Reaping the benefits of the post-corona days, people are beginning to understand the importance of washing their hands with soap and water. The We Foundation, has, therefore, inaugurated a week-long campaign (October 11 to October 16, 2022) titled “Care for Hands” for uniting everyone for universal hand hygiene. The campaign was launched during the occasion of Global Handwashing Day from October 11 to October 16, 2022, in partnership with Children for Change, an initiative of VVF under their CSR initiative, and in association with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and World Health Organization. The We Foundation’s primary objectives were to increase school attendance by setting an example of a healthy school in the most populated Dharavi BMC Schools, increase hand hygiene awareness among school children and the slum community, and orchestrate the government system and community so that knowledge of hand hygiene is followed by action. Along with that our main goal was to instil in the children the knowledge that washing their hands with soap is a simple, inexpensive, Do It Yourself defence that can ward off infections and even save lives. Every campaign is followed by demonstration of five-steps of handwashing by WHO personnel in Dharavi in the handwashing station of Dharavi schools to ensure that children learn to wash their hands properly. They were given one packet of soap, four soaps in each packet so that children and teachers continue to practise the learnings of the campaign at home and share with their family members.

TOTAL DIRECT BENEFICIARIES: 19,360

TOTAL DIRECT POPULATION IMPACTED IN DHARAVI: 135,520

Implementing such a campaign will increase people’s comprehension of disease prevention. Hand washing will help greatly to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among the school community and the slum community, all the beneficiaries are very conscious of this fact. Through similar activities, campaigns like this and long-term programmes on WASH and Health & Nutrition would address the gaps in Dharavi schools, Slums and the whole of Maharashtra and pan India.