Balipatna is an open defecation free (ODF) village. We were greeted with an amazing welcome. Similar to yesterday but you could see a difference in the people. At Gaonpada, although the villagers semmed happy enough the morale was very flat. This village felt far more upbeat, vibrant and proud. A real community feeling. You could see the difference in people's faces. This is a village that is going somewhere.
I actually found today more upsetting than yesterday, because it really put the first day into context. The visit to gaonpada was my first impression of rural India, so I (wrongly) assumed that all the villages would be the same, just with access to water and toilets. I was so wrong! Today we saw how it could be - how it should be.
People had more money, the kids were in school, people were well dressed and there was a real sense of pride and community. The villagers were so proud to show us their toilets and they couldn't remember the last case of diarrhoea.
The difference was so marked. People had a concept of the future, the next generation and how life will improve for the next generation and that was just overwhelming. It shows that WaterAid really does make a difference to real people with real lives - just like me and you.
The pond that used to be used for drinking water
I actually found today more upsetting than yesterday, because it really put the first day into context. The visit to gaonpada was my first impression of rural India, so I (wrongly) assumed that all the villages would be the same, just with access to water and toilets. I was so wrong! Today we saw how it could be - how it should be.
People had more money, the kids were in school, people were well dressed and there was a real sense of pride and community. The villagers were so proud to show us their toilets and they couldn't remember the last case of diarrhoea.
The difference was so marked. People had a concept of the future, the next generation and how life will improve for the next generation and that was just overwhelming. It shows that WaterAid really does make a difference to real people with real lives - just like me and you.
The pond that used to be used for drinking water
The newly installed hand pump
The kids showing me how they wash their hands
But this is what I had seen in the first village I had visited only yesterday, and they will have been doing this today and tomorrow, and next week, and next month and right up until WaterAid starts working there. I cried on the way back to the hotel.
I hope the people of Gaonpada will be in a similar position in 2 years time.
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