LEADer Soujanya, her team, and a villager with two toilets they helped to install

While there was a government scheme to install toilets in rural villages, LEADer Soujanya Pattanakudi from Smt. A. A. Patil Womens College noticed the implementation of scheme was extremely slow, partly because of hesitation and lack of knowledge of the villagers.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, under the Clean India Mission, makes toilets available to villagers who apply for them. First, Soujanya realized she needed to spread awareness of hygienic waste management practices and dispel any superstitions or misinformation about toilets. She held rallies in the villages as well as visiting door-to-door.

Once the villagers were made aware of the hygienic benefits and the government scheme, Soujanya would help them fill in an application. Because of the slow implementation of the scheme, Soujanya also worked to follow up on applications to ensure toilets were installed in a timely fashion.

So far, over 250 toilets have been installed in two villages. Soujanya's goal is 400 toilets, and hopes her work will inspire other LEADers to do similar projects in the villages in their community.