Meera Devi has four children. The first died in an accident at age four. The second, from health problems at 10 months. Third is Chahat, age nine. She has “mind problems” which have gotten better with expensive medicine. And number four is Simran. She has had developmental problems from birth but is a delightful child. Meera’s husband Amrik can do only light work due to a lung problem.

They live in a modest, but well kept three room house. There is an outdoor washing area, but no toilet as is typical for this village. Meera has joined the second Sanitation Class from Amrita University where she will learn to build toilets. This group will first make the cement blocks used for both the toilet and the pit. Blocks are less expensive than brick and can be a future source of income for the ladies. In the morning a tractor load of sand was dropped, completely blocking the road.

Just two hours later it had been moved by hand to Meera’s yard.

In the afternoon the first of several molds arrived and twenty blocks were made. About 80 blocks are needed for a single toilet. Soon, with the purchase of more molds, the entire group of ladies will be making blocks full time.

Meera’s yard has been turned into the block factory.

After training and building a toilet for each of their homes, ladies who wish to continue working will form a Self Help Group to continue construction work. We estimate 500 toilets can be built in Indhpur.

-Scotti