The inaugural batch of Ammachi Labs “Women’s Empowerment: Sanitation Project in Uttarakhand” has been launched in Nala village just outside of Guptakashi.
Rather than building free toilets for a few needy families, we are teaching local women the construction skills to build toilets for their entire community. Using a combination of tablet based education and hands on training Ammachi Labs will:
1) Promote health and hygene awareness.
2) Greatly improve the sanitation of the entire village.
3) Teach valuable skills which will give women a source of continuing income.
4) Instill a feeling of self respect and self reliance.
Yamuna, an Embracing the World volunteer from France, is Ammachi Labs Coordinator for Uttarakhand. She is equally at home with hands on instruction and the tablet based content which makes this program unique.
Normally these women would only carry the materials while men do all the skilled work. Today they eagerly tried their hand at new skills like measuring a site, mixing mortar, laying brick, using a plumb boband water level. Stopping only for darkness, they had built the foundation of their first toilet in just one day.
– Das
