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Jim Kirby commented about I am tired of Travel Fantasies, On Tuesday September 15th, 2009 04:52:18 PM
There is hope for India, listen to this CBC radio feature
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200904/20090406.html
Part 3: Bindeshwar Pathak Feature
Across India, hundreds of millions of people don't have access to a toilet, or anything connected to a sewer system. So they defecate in bucket latrines or out in the open. And that means that every year, about 200 million tons of raw, human sewage is dumped into the environment, much of it ending up in rivers and water supplies.
And beyond the health and environmental concerns, there are social consequences. The task of cleaning human excreta has traditionally fallen to the Untouchable class - the lower cast Dalits. And that work has added to their status as social pariahs.
So for Bindeshwar Pathak, a toilet isn't just a toilet. It's a tool for social change. He's a sociologist and the founder of the Sulabh Sanitation Movement ... a group that has been credited with improving sanitation, reducing the incidence of disease and restoring dignity to countless people.
Two weeks ago, Dr. Pathak was awarded the Stockholm Water Prize for his work ... work the nominating committee described as "one of the most amazing examples of how one person can impact the well-being of millions."
http://www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org/profile.htm
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