Regional Consultation in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Date 22-Mar-2016 to 22-Mar-2016

Location Medhomadhanam

Format Local

“I am looking forward to the next regional consultation. My GP would become ODF by that time and we will have a lot of experiences to share. In fact, the RALU team can visit our village for case study documentation.” Mr Nazer Ahmed, the sarpanch of Bavajipalem in Guntur District shared with the RALU team during “MEDHOMADHANAM”, the first Regional Consultation of Stakeholders’ on Rapid Action Learning Unit conducted on 22^nd March, 2016 at Extension Training Centre, Bapatla in the south coastal region of Andhra Pradesh which included participants from the districts of SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna.

Dr Sakshi Saini, introducing the project at the consulatation.

This consultation was conducted to introduce the concept of RALU in addition to disseminating the case studies documented in this region as part of the first phase of the project to the participants. Participants included Sarpanches, village level functionaries, ANMs, Anganwadi Workers, ASHA workers, panchayat secretaries, SHGs, VOs, ex-sarpanch, swach doots, field assistants, ward members, NGO partners and SBM functionaries.

The consultation aimed to introduce RALU to the partners and stakeholders working in the field of sanitation at the grassroots level in the district, Mandal and village. The main aim of the consultation was to introduce RALU and its activities to all the stakeholders working on the issues of sanitation at the grass-root level in the south coastal region of AP. As a part of the field visits undertaken by the RALU team, case studies were documented and the findings of the same were shared among the participants. Case studies were documented as a part of the documentation component of RALU for disseminating the field level experiences of ODF, Non-ODF and NGP slipped back villages and these case studies were presented to the participants by the RALU team. 

Ms Geetha Krishna presenting the progress of RALU to the participants.

The consultation also aimed to promote good examples of sanitation practices as observed during the field visits. This is a participatory methodology adopted by the RALU team to disseminate and share with the field, the findings and the documentation. Sarpanches from the visited GPs were invited to talk to the participants and share their experiences in making their villages ODF. Sarpanches from ODF declared villages presented the processes adopted by them to achieve sanitation, and challenges that are faced to achieve and sustain the same. The main aim of this session was to motivate the other participants on achieving ODF in their villages and mandals. This enabled a platform for experience sharing and experiential learning amongst the participants. This consultation was aimed at generating a dialogue on the issues of sanitation and the solutions faced at the grassroots level as well as to find out possible solutions to the problems faced at the field level. The idea was to ensure that solutions come from the lived experiences of the other partners. The main idea was to initiate a dialogue on the various field level issues in the Advisory Committee meeting to ensure holistic solutions.

Mr Katta Munneswara Rao, Sarpanch Kappaladoddi sharing his experiences.

All the participants learned from the experience sharing of RALU team and were motivated to replicate the initiatives taken up by other sarpanches. They all appreciated the initiatives taken up as part of RALU and committed their support to the program in the future stages of action research and implementation. Participants are now looking forward to field visits of the RALU team to their GPs and have promised their solidarity towards providing supports to the same.