We had an awesome experience on our first trip to Sulabh International. Sulabh team termed the first day as SOIL team`s orientation day instead of first working day.
As soon as we reached we found them eagerly waiting for us and received us with a warm welcome. We were then escorted to the morning circle with a large audience gathering
That morning few other distinguished guest have also arrived a couple from Austria and a former IPS officer now working with NGO`s and a lady working with UNESCO for water purification.
We were called up on the stage to share the space with Sulabh`s founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and core team. It was such a moment of joy to be in presence and people with high repute working for a social cause.
We were welcomed by Mr Pathak with garlands and they also presented us with a shawl which is Sulabh Internationals special ritual.
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak is a Padma Bhushan recipient from the Government of India. In 2003, his name was added to the Global 500 Roll of Honour. Bindheshwar Pathak also received the Energy Globe Award, the Dubai International Award for Best Practices, and the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Environment. Stockholm Water Prize was awarded to him in year 2009. Antarrashtriya Bhojpuri Samman was awarded to him in the 4th world Bhojpuri Sammelan in Port Louis.
A tour of the campus was pre planned for us, firstly we saw the unique Toilet museum which had a wide collection and lot of historical information.
Then we went to the school run by SICAS which imparts free education to children of scavengers and weaker section of society. A vocational school is also running in the same premises which offers computers ,fashion designing , embroidery, tailoring, typing ,beautician courses to make the unprivileged self-reliant.
Then they showed us the marvel of Sulabh`s two pit technology and various technique through which they create various types of toilets & water purification system and bio gas plants.
After the tour we had a long round of conversation with Mr Pathak and Mrs Abha Bahadur .
We were enlightened that Sulabh is much more than an organization working for sanitation they have many other social programs running
We were then invited to have lunch which was also very interesting we heard a lot of insights from Dr Pathank and she showed us a lot of award received by him for his work. Dr Pathak is a very humble and insightful man who is fully dedicated to the cause of sanitation and development of the weaker section of the society. He also told us about the new book he is going to write. Mrs Abha is also instrumental in the success of the Sulabh International.
We then discussed our plan and project that we can execute and contribute to the cause of Sulabh International. We would be focusing on SICAS and working on various projects which would be detailed in the next SIP day.
The team is excited for the next and forthcoming visits, we want to put in our best effort to make this SOIL – Sulabh International collaboration a success.
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