Gramalaya Trust

In India, manual scavenging persists as a troubling socio-economic reality, marring the nation's development trajectory. Despite legal prohibitions, enforcing the 2013 Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act has resulted in inaccurate data and inadequate records of manual scavengers. This complex issue demands urgent attention, especially in rehabilitating sanitation workers.
To address this pressing concern, the Harpic World Toilet College was established, with the purpose of enhancing the livelihoods, health, and safety of 7,700 sanitation workers over a three-year period (2018-2021). The college's vision is to eradicate the inhumane practice of manual scavenging and provide sanitation workers with dignified living conditions.
The key goal of the Harpic World Toilet College is to uplift sanitation workers and boost their self-worth.

VST Industries Ltd partnered with Gramalaya to initiate a CSR to promote sanitation in Telangana, South India. The program focuses on constructing household toilets with the SMART Toilet concept (Simple, Maintanable, Appropriate, Reusable and Technically Perfect) in selected villages of Medak and Jogulamba Gadwal Districts. So far, more than 5215 SMART toilets have been promoted by Gramalaya in the last three years. The project involves forming WASHMAN committees to manage funds and oversee the construction of toilets, empowering committee members through training and capacity building in water, sanitation, and hygiene.

As part of the CSR Initiative, Gramalaya aims to construct 750 SMART household toilets in villages with less than 10% toilet coverage. Alongside this, the project includes hygiene education, menstrual hygiene management, and nutrition awareness programs conducted by Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) through capacity building and training. Adolescent girls and women will receive menstrual hygiene education and be encouraged to use eco-friendly reusable cloth pads through social marketing facilitated by trained health educators from Gramalaya. Additionally, girls studying in Pudukottai District schools will receive menstrual hygiene education through interactive sessions and information, education, and communication (IEC) materials provided by Gramalaya.