When Ambuja Foundation, Ashok Leyland and Hinduja Foundation joined forces to improve the water situation in 5 villages of Alwar, Eastern Rajasthan, the men of the village denied that water was a problem. Tubewells used for irrigating crops had a 300-400 metre water accessibility and so they felt water was not a high priority.
But when the Ambuja team asked the women of the community the same question, they pleaded for help to transform the drinking water scenario in their village. Spending up to 2.5 hours a day collecting water for household use, they were hard pressed for time and their bodies taxed by the long distances and heavy loads. And the water they collected had high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
There was a desperate need to involve women in decision making around water and empower them to become the driving force behind solutions. In 2020, 6 women volunteers took on the role of becoming Sujal Jankars – going door to door to promote the construction of rooftop rainwater harvesting systems (RRWHS) and generating awareness on how to conduct a water quality test at a household level.
Slowly families started constructing RRWHS and the situation of the women, and their water woes, was transformed. With clean fresh water at their doorsteps, they decided to channelise the time saved into generating awareness on water use.
The Sujal Jankars catalysed the formation of a Sujal Group, with each member referred to as a ‘Sujal Saheli’. The group was responsible for village-level planning as well as working to saturate the community in terms of WASH practices, water quality testing, ensuring ODF status and hygiene management.
What started as a ‘water coup’ turned into a full-fledged ‘women’s movement’ and before long the Sujal Jankar concept had spread to 12 other villages. Finding confidence and voice in transforming the water scenario of their community, despite facing issues like casteism, these now empowered women began taking on other community issues also, like domestic violence and alcoholism, with their new found drive.
With the help of Ashok Leyland, a revolving fund of Rs. 5,00,000 was set up for water financing and the 23 Sujal groups and their 535 members decided to merge together to form the Sujal Mahila Maha Sangh – a registered federation. Through their collaborative efforts, they strive to empower women, improve water management, and foster positive social change in the villages.
Today, the Sujal Jankar movement is in the process of spreading to Ajmer, Chirawa and Jaipur and the Alwar Federation is actively working towards the transformation of 20 villages in the area, via the empowerment of 4000 women by 2026.
