W-88 block in Zakhira is an enclosed area, walled on three sides with a busy railway track on the fourth. The area has many problems, the most serious being lack of a toilet complex. As a result, all residents of W-88 have to defecate along the train tracks or drains or anywhere in the slum. This lack of excremental is a major cause of disease, made worse by the fact that many people, especially children, do not wear shoes. For women and girls, this has social implications with no hope of privacy other than the shadow of a bush. There are numerous cases of children losing life and limb while defecating on the railway tracks, and women are unsafe when they try to seek privacy during the hours of darkness.
Residents of W-88 approached the authorities many times with no success. Politicians campaigning for their party and asking for votes promised a toilet complex on numerous occasions, but never delivered.
Once Asha had established a women's group in W-88, the lane volunteers raised the need for a toilet complex. After a lot of discussion in that meeting, it was decided that a delegation of women's group members would meet the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the area and press their case. The women wrote an application and met the MLA. They invited him to visit W-88 and see their plight himself. The MLA could not keep his promise because of his other commitments but the women did not lose heart. They met him repeatedly till he agreed to return to the area with them, and that day the women took him through the excreta filled streets and drains till he had seen enough.
The MLA wrote an urgent letter to the slum department, explaining the situation and insisting on an immediate survey. With the support of the MLA, the women's group members had the area surveyed and, at long last, the slum department agreed to set up a mobile toilet in the area. The residents now have toilets, and greatly appreciate the efforts of the women. The lane volunteers claim that Asha has made them aware of their rights and given them a voice to fight for them.
Lane No. 1 in Chanderpuri gets drinking water delivered by a water tanker each morning and evening. Slum dwellers in this lane as well as residents of a neighbouring housing colony collected water from the tanker. The scene at the tanker was always the same, with residents of the slum and the colony all flocked around the tanker as one big mob, fighting over who would get access to the tanker first. It became almost a tradition - as people pushed, shoved and shouted to get to the water first.
One day the situation got worse and a colony resident was beaten up badly. Instead of going to the police, he brought the case to Chanderpuri's women's group. He was aware of all the work they did for their community, and said he was confident that they could deal with the matter.
The issue was discussed in the women's next meeting, and residents representing the two colonies were called. It was decided that two volunteers from the women's group would supervise the distribution of water. While doing that, the volunteers took the opportunity to educate the slum dwellers as well as the colony residents in responsible citizenship. After two months of ‘schooling’ in caring and sharing, the person driving the tanker vehicle was astonished to see people queuing like good school children without the fighting. The two volunteers occasionally inspect the place and cannot hide a smile while passing through Lane No. 1 - another success for their formidable group.
I was pregnant and dangerously anaemic. I couldn't afford to visit a hospital but a women's group member took me to see an Asha doctor who persuaded my husband to donate some blood. One of the Asha staff donated blood as well! My baby was delivered safely, but if it wasn't for Asha we both could have died.
Nafisa, Ekta Vihar
