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“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Sadly enough, Indians do not really go by this philosophy while criticizing India for it’s lack of infrastructure. But there is an American woman who has taken it upon herself to create a sanitized and safer version of rural India, building one toilet at a time.
Marta Vanduzer-Snow, an American Ph.D student of the Rutgers University, moved to rural India 3 years ago, wanting “to be an invisible human who makes a difference on the ground.” She got 82 low-cost evapotranspiration toilets built in homes, one in a primary school and 10 feet wide 122 meters permeable roads constructed, all at almost half the cost of similar projects of the government in the villages of Rai Bareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
She has also set up 27 solar power plants, that include 2 street lights and a mobile charger. Along with that, she got French drains built with rainwater harvesting techniques and has been working on myco-filtration systems for potable water.
Marta is a fan of Amartya Sen’s developmental economics, and has developed a theory for three-pronged strategy on development that integrates infrastructure, health and education. She spends her personal resources on these projects, unaided by any government or private funding.
Much needed lessons are here, fellow countrymen. It’s time we learn it.
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