It is still a taboo in a country like India to talk about menstrual hygiene. But Purulia District in West Bengal sets an example to rest of the country by its Kanyashree Group of Adolescent Girls. This Group talks to the local community about the importance of Menstrual Hygiene, Child marriage, and its social Change. Initially, the locals ignored them, but they refused to give up. Today they have become game changers with their work in creating awareness leading to the reduction in cervical disease among women.

The visit to the 200-bedded Goalpara Civil Hospital, recipient of the Kayakalp and Lakshya awards,  was a pleasant surprise as contrary to usual government hospitals, it was very clean and all parameters of hygiene are being duly followed.  The hospital caters to five districts of Assam-Goalpara, Dhubri, Barpeta, Bongaigaon and Kamrup along with East and West Garo Hills district.

In Dubalia we were welcomed in a traditional way with innovative hand-made crowns of flowers and a pleasant folk song. I was introduced to a new concept of Raj mistries and Rani mistries who took a great initiative in Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan held in Jharkhand State. I found the Raj and Rani mistries so vibrant and mature. Not only the mistries but the whole village was quite aware of their duties and rights.

Azara Keotpara LP School is situated in the outskirts of Guwahati where mostly children from the backward fishermen scheduled caste community studies. Earlier, the dropout rate after the primary school level was high but this has almost become negligible following the intervention of the “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan”. A significant achievement in the WASH programin this school has been children initiating changes in the sanitation and hygiene habits of their parents.

Journalists had a discussion on the women’s health issues in North East, malnutrition, Maternal mortality rate and so many things related to gender and sanitation. They spoke to AASHA worker and few patients there. was a visit which gave an overview of Gender and sanitation issues of a district of  Northeast and how stakeholders are dealing with it. UNICEF’s WASH activities were the main change agent in the sanitation in the hospital.