Impact of Bharti Foundation’s Sanitation program – Satya Bharti Abhiyan
Punjab – Bharti foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, commissioned Sattva to conduct an Impact Assessment Study of its ‘Satya Bharti Abhiyan’ program based in Amritsar and Ludhiana districts of Punjab. Launched in August 2014, the program contributed to the Government of India’s National Mission of ‘Swachh Bharat.’ 32,149 households and institutions were provided toilets free of cost, benefitting over 2,19,872 people. Separate toilets for girls in 14 government schools in rural Ludhiana and 37 separate ladies’ toilets in police stations in the districts were also constructed. The project was completed in December 2021.
The impact assessment study covered a sample size of 1,014 toilets and was undertaken during 2021-22. Mamta Saikia, CEO Bharti Foundation handed, over the Impact evaluation report of the Satya Bharti Abhiyan, to Sh. Vipul Ujwal, Special Secretary, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Government of Punjab.
On the occasion, Sh. Vipul Ujwal, Special Secretary, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation said, “We appreciate the efforts of Bharti Foundation in implementing sanitation drive by providing toilets in rural Amritsar and rural & urban Ludhiana under Satya Bharti Abhiyan. This impact evaluation report shows the positive benefits of the program and we are confident that people will continue to follow the healthy sanitation practices bringing a positive shift in the long run.”
During the handover of Impact Assessment Report, Ms. Mamta Saikia, CEO, Bharti Foundation, “Satya Bharti Abhiyan program, which provided toilet in the homes which did not have one, in the villages of Ludhiana and Amritsar, also focused on fostering behavioral change in the community by making people in rural and semi-urban areas aware of the positive impacts of having household toilets. Easy access to toilets helped women and children feel safer. We are delighted to see the overall positive outcomes of the initiative as outlined in the report. This project has been successful due to the active support of the State Government, local administration, Panchayats and village communities.”
Key findings of the Impact assessment report are:
- 98% of the respondents saved time as they did not have to travel to far distances anymore for the purpose of relieving themselves.
- 39% of the respondents used the extra time to help with household work whereas 48% of the respondents engaged in productive work.
- 84% of the respondents said that the initiative benefitted women. It helps them feel safer and assists in utilizing the saved time in productive activities.
- 93% of the respondents believed that the program helped with children’s safety.
- 78% households noticed a decrease in the frequency of them falling sick after construction of the toilets.
- 32% fall in health expenditure due to improved sanitation and hygiene practices, from an average of Rs. 4,788 to Rs. 3,249 a year.