Improving Access to Safe Drinking Water Requires Leadership at Different Levels: A photo-essay from a Rural Area in Eastern India (Tangi-Odisha).

Safe Water & Leadership

Abstract

Abstract: Water is a scarce resource. Often focus is on access and seldom on its safety. Leadership skills by people  at multiple levels are required to ensure sustained access to safe drinking water. A group of medical students from All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Bhubaneswar used some of these skills to bring about a change in behaviour of few families with respect to household water treatment and safe storage practices. They were able to demonstrate skill transfer while making filters in an attempt to ensure self-reliance. Important lessons were learnt that could be useful for scaling up use of safe water practices in future. This public health exercise is about their journey in utilising collaborative leadership in being the change we wish to see in the world.