Students at Undrajavaram secondary school, Andhra Pradesh, India

In Undrajavaram Mandal in Andhra Pradesh, India, nearly 30 percent of the population lacks access to sanitary toilets, contributing to the spread of diseases like typhoid, polio, diarrhea, jaundice, and cholera. Adolescent girls often miss school due, in part, to inadequate sanitation facilities. A project with BGR partner Rosary Prayer Society built 100 low-cost sanitary latrines in two villages in Undrajavaram Mandal.

Among the beneficiaries of this project are the female students at the Undrajavaram secondary school (ZPHS). Before the latrines were constructed, the girls did not have any options for enclosed sanitary facilities. For the older students in particular, having to use an open outdoor space was a deterrent for school attendance. This project constructed a latrine facility including water and electricity at the school. “Sometimes we don’t want to come to school because of no latrine facilities,” a student reported. “Now we can attend school happily and can concentrate on school lectures.”

Read about BGR’s 2023 project with the Rosary Prayer Society.