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In line with our PM’s ambitious “Swacch Bharat Mission”, WABAG, through its sustainable CSR programme, successfully executed the “Health and Hygiene” project at Viralipatti (Pudukottai district, Tamilnadu) to transform it into a ODF village.

The Health and Hygiene project at Viralipatti village, Pudukottai District, Tamil Nadu was started in August 2016 after the baseline survey which highlighted prevalence of poor hygiene and sanitation in the Panchayat. This is based on the recognition that merely providing toilets does not guarantee their use, nor result in improved sanitation and Hygiene. The present project focused on the behavioral change needed to ensure sustainable improvements in terms of investing in community mobilization; shifting the focus from toilet construction for individual households to the creation of ODF villages. Demand creation and collective behaviour change were the key components.

WABAG’s CSR initiative triggered the community’s desire for collective change; goaded people into action and appropriate local solutions, thus leading to ownership and sustainability. In this approach, rural communities were facilitated to take collective action to adopt safe and hygienic sanitation behaviour and guarantee that all households have access to safe sanitation facilities.

A comprehensive behavior change communication (BCC) strategy was adopted to create health impact at the community and household level. The multi-stakeholder approach was adopted, i.e. Private-VA Tech WABAG and CESTADS; Public-Government and Public – Panchayat people partnership (PPPP) to promote health and hygiene and make Viralipatti village to become an ODF Viralipatti.