Like it or not, poverty reduction has been taken high on the development agenda by giving a Nobel prize to those who studied/researched how poverty could be reduced.
I have been focusing on getting my book out published in India. Writing seems to be so much easier than getting it published and marketed. I know of others going through this stage of publishing.
In the meantime I have been travelling. I am posting this from Odisha, more specifically Koraput district.
Poverty is so easily visible. The difference between the southern part of India more specifically Kerala and Tamilnadu, is visibly palpable.
Yesterday, as a team we went for a field visit to village. That village has 100% latrine constructed. But hundred percent are using the fields for open defecation.
The number one reason for this is the complaint that they do not have water in the toilets. However that village has a perennial source of water from a spring in the hill nearby. Water is freely flowing through open pipes in the village.
The other reason appears to be that these were constructed as part of a project. Probably a contract was given. The contractor needed his profits. It is not known how much money passed through different levels of hands.
We started trying to get the people started on regulating the flow of water first and then motivate and educate the people to use the latrines built.
There are structural issues as well. These are leach pit latrines, that need two leach pits. Only one has been provided. When it fills up they will have no place to go than except the fields.
Absence of concomitant behaviour change communication along with latrine construction is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
Since poverty is high on the agenda, I am giving the link to my book below. This book would help you to understand the way forward with poverty reduction.
The paperback version is available in the following link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1791540597
Hope to keep in touch
Rajaratnam Abel
Rajaratnam Abel 