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The master of community toilets

By Nikita 

The last week saw our team back on tracks i.e. visit to slums. The team visited Mankhurd and met the "Dude lady" of the mohalla (society). Mrs. Surekha, lovingly called Atu, was a high-energy, super informative, and fun-loving lady. First things first, Mrs. Surekha is a social worker and heads a Community Based Organization (CBO) in Mankhurd. An illiterate, she was witnessed struggle in her life and probably that’s one of the reason she now knows how to enjoy every bit of her life.

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She took us on a tour and passionately told how she fought with the system to have toilet construction in her mohalla. With a capacity of 500 users, the community toilets managed by her CBO are already running beyond their capacity. However, the quality of service and cleanliness is not compromised and that is one of main reasons that people from adjoining mohalla are queuing up at her office for sanction of toilet access monthly pass. Surekha ji AKA Atu made us realise if you passion nothing can stop and the whole world will unite and fight for you.

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A family pass for the community toilet

Other than being inspired by Atu, the team engaged in a discussion with one of the representatives of Tata Trusts. We are happy that she gave us time and showered some of her strategic advice for one of our work streams. However this would not have been possible if the team won’t have waited for 3 hours at the reception, trying to figure out what to do.

Lastly and most importantly, three members of the team are leaving for Delhi (to be joined by other in coming week)...

Yehhhh!!! We are bracing for colddddddddd weather and looking forward to be in a place without of having ceiling fan.