Uniting efforts towards an open defecation-free India

In order to achieve an Open Defecation Free status for India, Jagran Pehel, a division of Shri Puranchandra Gupta Smarak Trust and RB (formerly known as Reckitt Benckiser) India, and State Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar announced the project ‘Changing Behaviour: Creating Sanitation Change Leaders' will be implemented using a three-pronged strategy of environment building; capacity development and changing behaviours.

From L-R: Nitish Kapoor, HH Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Vidya Balan, Anand Madhab and Jack Sim

Present at the unveiling of the program were campaign ambassador, Vidya Balan, Anand Madhab, CEO, Jagran Pehel Sanjay Gupta, CEO and Editor in Chief, Dainik Jagran, Nitish Kapoor, Regional Director RB South Asia, HH Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President and Founder, Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh and Professor Jack Sim, Founder, World Toilet Organization. Introducing the project Anand Madhab, CEO, Jagran Pehel said that, through the initiative, the program will reach out and work closely with 500 PRI members, 500 natural and faith based leaders, 500 ASHAs / AWWs and 2 lakh mothers directly to drive a positive behaviour towards sanitation practices.

Campaign Ambassador, Vidya Balan, said, "For the past two years I have dedicated myself towards raising awareness around importance of hygiene and to stop open defecation. I am really proud to be a part of this campaign which is taking a different route of engaging with stakeholders and creating change leaders at community level to bring about this behaviour change."