2016: Bansberia Rural Development

Bansberia-Gabberia village complex is an impoverished area about 60 miles south of Kolkata, India. It is a cluster of 13 villages with a population of approximately 44,000. We have established tube wells in each village for safe drinking water, refurbished nine primary schools and built a medical clinic. Sanitation is also a big problem in Bansberia. About 800 of the nearly 2000 families in Bansberia village cannot afford to build toilets. With large numbers of people openly defecating, fecal-oral-transmitted infections are common. To improve the general hygiene and health, we are building septic toilets for all the families. We have built 730 toilets with 20-50% contribution from villagers. We continue to run tutorial classes for low performing students to prevent drop outs as well as an once-a-week medical clinic.