Students of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) have tied up with UNICEF to improve Mumbai slum-dwellers’ access to basic sanitation — and generate renewable energy and jobs along the way.
It is a known fact that the condition of slums in Mumbai is deplorable with no official caretakers, no electric supply, and poorly maintained community toilets, among other things. But management students of JBIMS aim to take a two-pronged approach by providing a solution for poverty as well as improving basic amenities for slum dwellers. They aim to create jobs for the slum dwellers in the maintenance of their own slums, such as in waste management, biogas plants and even menstrual hygiene management. Through a public private partnership model, JBIMS students hope to transform these rank slums.
The project is based on a winning paper presented by the management students at Strategym, JBIMS’ annual business convention. The paper, ‘Revamping the Sanitation Facilities and Drainage System in Mumbai’, analysed various major issues affecting drainage and sanitation in the city and suggested a comprehensive framework to upgrade the existing drainage system and improve sanitation facilities in the city of Mumbai. “We met NGOs, civic officials and slum dwellers and asked them about their problems. Based on their feedback, we prepared a model,” said Priti Singh, one of the members of the winning team.
The institute is in preliminary talks with UNICEF officer Yusuf Kabir. “The paper was appreciated by the panelists and UNICEF invited the paper for further deliberation and implementation. We had preliminarily talks on the paper in December and hope to launch it soon. By helping out in social causes we are creating a new breed of managers that will be socially responsible,” said Dr Stephen D’ Silva, director, JBIMS.
A pilot project will be launched at a slum in Santa Cruz (West), where students will study the existing drainage system and revamp it according to the latest standards. One of the focus areas of the project will be menstrual hygiene amongst women.
“Students will set up a sanitary napkins production unit to develop sanitary pads that cost less than Rs1. Women’s self-help groups will be involved in running this plant, and will be educated on the importance and need for safe disposal of these pads,” added D’Silva.
To help the students set up the project, an expert from Delhi and an award-winning NGO from Gemany will work with them. The students will develop a bio-gas plant for solid waste management. To sensitise slum dwellers to good health and hygiene standards, students will also hold lessons on the importance of washing hands with soap, keeping the toilets clean, etc.
