Kovalam in Tamil Nadu is a low-income fishing village of about 6,000 people. The village is made up of several hamlets, divided by caste and religion. The reluctance to work together for the common good and a post-tsunami dependence on outside aid and initiative made the village inactive. This paper discusses the outcome of one project which was designed to change their approach towards community development.

Sixty percent of the fishermen’s community and more than 80 percent of the poorest hamlets of all cultural background do not have access to toilets. Unable to go to the toilet during the day, women suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, and are also exposed to the danger of being raped or bitten by snakes. Infections from open defecation cause child diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, and a dozen other serious diseases. In addition, much of the open space once available to the village for ‘latrines’ is disappearing because of urbanization and the building of ‘recreational’ cottages by affluent outsiders.

After considerable research and discussion with the villagers, we came to the conclusion that eco-san toilets—double vault, urine diverting, dry composting toilets were most suitable for this village. Because of the high water table, other alternatives including pit toilets and pour-toilets that use large amounts of water were not suitable because of the seasonal shortage of water and the danger of further contaminating the village wells. The eco-san toilets produce valuable and safe organic compost that can be used on vegetable and ornamental gardens. As the villagers began to plan for eco-san toilets, some of the leaders suggested adding a program to compost household garbage.

In an effort to reduce both labor and material costs, we also started to work with Japanese architects and engineers on an innovative toilet design that utilizes pre-cast concrete reinforced with inexpensive bamboo—in place of expensive steel rebar—for pads and walls. The pre-cast walls will be used in place of concrete hollow-blocks and be assembled by the families themselves. The methodology has job training and economic development potential. The toilet components, made of pre-cast concrete or blocks can be manufactured in the village and sold as ‘kits’ to families who want to build their own toilets. Using sanitation and hygiene as a starting point, we would explain how the training expanded to public education, project management, evaluation, budgeting and fundraising, all of which created a valuable inter-village networking.

Bibliography

Mclean,S.L., et al. 2002 Social Capital : Critical Perspectives on Community and “Bowling Alone”, New York University Press.

Nishimura,Y. 2008 Regional Development Project through Self-Help and Leadership training in Kovalam, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.(project paper submitted and approved by JICA)

Prahalad C.K. 2006 The Fortune At the Bottom of The Pyramid, Wharton School Publishing.

The World Bank 1997 India: Achievement and Challenges in Reducing Poverty, Washington, D. C.

Water and Sanitation Program 2003 “Hand Wash in India presentation,” www.wsp.org/english/activities/handwashing/vbehal.pdf.