“Manish is delighted to share some wonderful news from Rotarian Rakesh Sahni, his dedicated counterpart & Project Chair from the Rotary Club of Calcutta-Midtown (RCCM) on The Rotary Foundation sponsored Project Dignity Global Grant #1526428 which was awarded in 2015 to RCAAN and RCCM. Seven D6380 co-Sponsor Rotary clubs also contributed to this project aimed at ending open defecation in the region - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor West, Chelsea, Ferndale, Milan, Novi, Saline and Ypsilanti.
Collectively, the clubs contributed $42,000 in seed funds, which were then leveraged 2:1 with The Rotary Foundation, to total $84,000.
The Project Dignity Global Grant involved close collaboration with the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram (a reputed interfaith non-profit group) in Nimpith, India, to install 320 in-home toilets for economically needy women-run households in the Sundarbans area of Eastern India. Each toilet unit costs $210, and is constructed for the benefit of women and girls, and the Grant also provides suitable vocational training in order to help them sustain their families from some of the worst ills and vulnerabilities they face. The hazards of open defecation range from constant diarrhea and dehydration of children, to wild animal attacks, to rape and to reptile or insect bites, while women lack the privacy and walk long distances from their homes to relieve themselves. Project Dignity assures the safety and well-being of families, freeing up women to learn and pursue vocations that will help raise their living standards.
Chair Rotn Rakesh Sahni in Kolkata informed that not only has the original target of 320 in-home Toilets in the Sundarbans been achieved as of November 2017, but by the frugal and sensible money management practices of RC Calcutta-Midtown and Ramakrishna Ashram in India, the project has sufficient funds left and plans to install additional 80 composting Toilets by February 2018.
Manish hopes to lead a second site visit by RCAAN members and District 6380 counterparts to Kolkata and the Sundarbans at the conclusion of the Global Grant project for a celebratory program. Six members of RCAAN toured the area for the Project Dignity kick-off held in February 2016.”