A few years back, an NGO named Dasra did exemplary groundwork across schools in Indian villages to discover the fact that 23 million girls drop out of school every year due to the lack of a clean toilet. According to a citizen-led survey published in January 2019, 11.5% of India’s rural schools have no separate toilets for girls and of the ones that did, 11.7% were locked and unusable.
Lack of toilets in schools often makes parents of teenage girls hesitant about exposing their girls to risk. The absence of toilets in schools especially affects girls when they hit puberty as they stay back at home for five days every month, missing school work. Eventually, unable to keep up with the class work, they choose to drop out.
On the occasion of World Toilet Day, 19th November, Hindware wanted to reach out and empower these girls. As a result, the “BUILD A TOILET, BUILD HER FUTURE” initiative was conceptualised under the aegis of “Hygiene that Empowers”. Through this initiative, Hindware has adopted schools across eight villages located around the company’s sanitaryware manufacturing plant in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, where toilets will be constructed, renovated, and maintained for the girl students.
With the help of a digital film, radio, print media, and a dedicated website, Hindware intends to scale up the activity while creating awareness amongst the right stakeholders and encourage people to spread the message and take part in this cause. The film was released on World Toilet Day.
As an industry thought leader highly invested in the design fraternity, the company in its bid to create awareness, will host a virtual contest, Design Her Future. Spanning over three weeks, the contest will invite entries for sustainable toilet models and designs from young architects across India. Judged on the basis of ease of installation and maintenance by an esteemed panel, the winning toilet model will then be used across all the adopted schools under this initiative.
Commenting on the occasion, Mr Shashvat Somany, VP-Strategy, HSIL, said, “Through this campaign, we aim to facilitate access to hygienic sanitation in schools for girls which will help them to continue their education for a longer period of time. We have partnered with MA, My Anchor, a non-profit organisation committed to the welfare of the underprivileged that has been working relentlessly to create awareness and promote girl child education. We as a socially responsible organisation, committed to support the community we are a part of, and will contribute to enhance the well-being of people.”
Partner with Hindware in this noble cause and let’s start the mission of sending our girls back to school, one toilet at a time. Log on to www.hygienethatempowers.com to know more.