About Gowravam
The development needs of rural and urban communities are many, and so are the challenges in accessing education, health, sanitation, skill training, and other related services, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged communities.
Like-minded friends and family members involved in development activities came together to reflect on ways to systematically support the communities to access needed services
The systematically designed and successfully implemented Gowravam Sanitation project in Narasayapalem village, Bapatla Mandal, Bapatla district, Andhra Pradesh emerged from these reflections. Though Narasayapalem village boasted of a well-established school, good roads, well educated individuals, and fairly good economic opportunities for growth several households sufferedfrom poor access to sanitation facilities and consequent ill health. The villagers already saw the transformative impact of a good school in the village, which several children to become professionals. Many of them travelled abroad for better opportunities. A significant portion of Narasayapalem’s inhabitants are Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
The Gowravam Sanitation Project (GSP), Narasayaplem, initiated in 2009-10 replicated the community-led total sanitation model.
It emphasised human dignity and collective action to find local solutions. The objective of the co-contributory GSP was to make the residents aware of the ills of open defecation, poor sanitation habits, and waste disposal and to ensure that every house in the village had an individual sanitary latrine. The key role played by Self Help Group (SHG) members, their Village Organisation, Animator, Community Health Workers, and the village school teachers resulted in the construction of 620 toilet-cum-bathrooms in Narasayapalem in over 2 years, covering 98% of the households. This had a tremendous impact on arresting open defecation in Narasayapalem village.
The idea of an NGO started formulating in the minds of the Founders when they saw the transformative impact of education in the community in Narasayapalem and the surrounding villages. The success of the Gowravam Sanitation Project further energised everyone to take up initiatives for the benefit of communities.