Perambalur Community Hygiene Project

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In India, most people defecate outdoors, most along roadsides, in or next to communal water supplies and in common areas, due to lack of toilets. This is the cause of many health problems, and also of discomfort for many women, who often have to wait until it gets dark before looking for a safe place to urine or defecate. We decided to work on reducing this problem by building community-operated toilet facilities. Please download the concept sheet (click here).

Update June 2008:

Thanks to generous sahaya-supporters, in 2005 we raised $5,340 for this program.
After further discussions with the local women and experts on public hygiene, it was decided that, instead of building a single large public community facility (which has issues of maintenance and would benefit only women living in the immediate vicinity), a more feasible plan is to build small toilets (which cost about $120 each) for individual families that live in these dispersed rural communities.
A revolving loan fund is used for this program, so that as loans are repayed in monthly installments, loans can be given to new families.
This program has started and already more than 100 toilets are currently being built or have been finished. The pictures below show several different toilets that were built. The most simple toilet (such as the first one on the picture below) costs approximately $120. For the larger structures, the family mobilized some extra resources to built a larger or attached room for shower facilities.
If you like to donate money towards a toilet for a poor family who can't afford the loan:

If you live in the USA, you can send donations via Sahaya International (www.sahaya.org).
Sahaya International is a 501(c)3 organization, so your donations are tax-deductible in the USA according to standard IRS rules.
Please (click here to donate).
Remember, it only costs $120 to build a simple toilet that helps a whole family.
Individuals or organizations outside of USA can also send money directly to READ
D. Selvam (Secretary)
READ
1926 Sakthi Vinayagar Street
Vilandai, Andimadam 621-801
Tamil Nadu
INDIA
Phone: +(91)-4331-42583
E-mail: readpen@sancharnet.in
We thank you tremendously for your support!

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