World Water Day by Gramalaya

Gramalaya, Tiruchirappalli
Tiruchirappalli, India, 22 Mar 06

World Water Day 2006 by Gramalaya

Gramalaya in association with WaterAid, UK and WaterPartners International, USA is organising World Water Day 2006 at its Training Centre,Kolakkudipatti in the rural parts of Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. Women members from 2125 Self-Help Groups from 411 villages of Thottiyam, T.Pet and Thuraiyur Block will be participating in the campaign. This one day event will be attended by more than 25,000 women who campaign for water and sanitation in their villages. As a part of WWD event, post cards will be issued to 25,000 school children to create awareness and instil a habit of handwashing with soaps. Another 25,000 postcards were printed for circulation among the women participants highlighting the importance on the construction and use of toilets for maintaining environmental sanitation of the rural areas. The programmes are jointly supported byTotal Sanitation Campaign of the District Administration, WAVE ( Women's Action for Village Empowerment) - Federation functioning in the rural and urban slums of Tiruchirappalli City Corporation.

Women group leaders, elected panchayat Presidents, officials, representatives of intenational organisations will take part in the events. The 25,000 women who will participate in the campaign will come with working lunch and travel arrangements on their own.

Resolutions and recommendations will be passed at the conference for conserving water resources and create awareness on healthy toilet habits among the participants. Prizes and awards will be distributed to successful villages and slums that have declared their areas as open defecation free zones. This event will be the largest congregation of women in the world who care for water and sanitation.

Contact: Geetha Jegannathan <try_gramlaya@sancharnet.in>