OVERVIEW
Reach India Trust has been a key organisation in advancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) outcomes across vulnerable and underserved regions of India. For more than a decade, the organisation has worked alongside state and district administrations to strengthen rural sanitation systems, promote hygiene practices, and ensure that communities adopt safe, sustainable, and dignified sanitation behaviours.
Driven by a commitment to improving public health and community well-being, Reach India Trust adopts a comprehensive WASH approach rooted in capacity building, community mobilisation, and behaviour change communication. The organisation’s field teams work intensively at the district and block levels, supporting authorities in planning, implementing, and monitoring sanitation interventions—including motivating households, facilitating community triggering, conducting follow-up visits, and reinforcing improved hygiene practices.
A central part of this portfolio has been the large-scale Technical Assistance provided in multiple districts of Bihar, where Reach India Trust deployed expert teams of motivators, coordinators, and trainers. These teams worked closely with district officials, panchayat representatives, ASHAs, AWWs, teachers, and community influencers to accelerate sanitation uptake and build sustained community ownership. Training sessions were organised for motivators, frontline workers, and local leaders on triggering tools, behaviour change models, scientific waste disposal methods, and household-level hygiene adoption.
The organisation also led widespread SBCC efforts such as village meetings, night meetings, rallies, school awareness campaigns, pre-triggering, triggering, and household counselling. These interventions built strong social norms around toilet use, handwashing, safe disposal of waste, and community cleanliness. Celebratory events like Bihar Diwas, sanitation pledge ceremonies, and Swachhata Awards further strengthened motivation and collective responsibility at the village level.
Beyond sanitation access and behaviour adoption, Reach India Trust has implemented complementary community development initiatives including nutrition-linked kitchen gardens, health awareness drives, and support for marginalised groups such as tribal communities and sanitation workers. These integrated efforts ensure that WASH outcomes are linked with broader health, nutrition, and livelihood improvements.
Today, the WASH portfolio of Reach India Trust reflects a holistic and community-driven approach—where technical expertise, strong government partnerships, and behaviour change converge to create clean, safe, and resilient living environments. Through sustained engagement and inclusive strategies, the organisation continues to support households in transforming sanitation and hygiene practices, leading to healthier communities and long-term public health impact.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) –2017
OVERVIEW
The SBM–2017 initiative, supported by UNICEF, marked a significant milestone in accelerating rural sanitation progress across Bihar. Reach India Trust played a key role in this mission by strengthening community mobilisation, behaviour change communication, and district-level implementation systems. The programme focused on enabling households to shift from open defecation to sustained toilet use through intensive field engagement and structured capacity-building efforts.
By deploying trained motivators, block-level facilitators, and technical support teams, the initiative enhanced the reach of sanitation messages and helped build strong community ownership. Through close coordination with district administrations, panchayat leaders, frontline workers, and local organisations, the programme promoted collective responsibility for improving sanitation outcomes and advancing the state’s journey toward Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Objectives
- Strengthen community engagement to accelerate household toilet adoption and consistent usage.
- Build the capacity of motivators, frontline workers, and district teams on sanitation processes and behaviour-change tools.
- Promote large-scale behaviour change communication to eliminate open defecation.
- Support planning, implementation, and monitoring of ODF progress in collaboration with district authorities.
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
The SBM–2017 initiative supported by UNICEF included:
- Deployment and training of motivators, block coordinators, and field facilitators.
- Capacity-building workshops on triggering techniques, sanitation messaging, and community mobilisation.
- Behaviour-change communication activities including triggering, follow-ups, IPC visits, rallies, and school engagements.
- Close coordination with district officials, panchayat representatives, ASHAs, AWWs, and community influencers.
- Structured reporting formats, progress monitoring tools, and village-level assessment systems.
- Community-level events such as pledge ceremonies, Swachhata awareness drives, and mobilisation campaigns.
KEY COVERAGE AREAS
- Community mobilisation for toilet usage
- Capacity building of motivators and frontline workers
- Large-scale sanitation awareness
- ODF progress monitoring Behaviour-change reinforcement
SUPPORTED BY
UNICEF
Location
Bihar
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) –2019
OVERVIEW
The SBM–2019 initiative represented a strengthened phase of sanitation acceleration in Bihar, with Reach India Trust providing extensive field support, technical assistance, and behaviour-change reinforcement to sustain ODF achievements. Building upon earlier progress, the programme focused on deepening community engagement, enhancing the capacities of frontline workers, and ensuring that sanitation behaviours were consistently adopted across rural households.
Under the guidance and collaboration of district administrations, Reach India Trust deployed dedicated motivators and field teams who worked intensively to address gaps in toilet usage, strengthen village-level monitoring, and expand behaviour change communication efforts. The initiative emphasised evidence-based planning, community participation, and inclusive outreach to ensure that no household was left behind in the journey toward sustained sanitation.
Objectives
- Reinforce ODF practices through household-level counselling and follow-up activities.
- Strengthen the capacities of motivators, volunteers, and local leaders in post-ODF sustainability.
- Promote continued behaviour-change communication to ensure regular and consistent toilet usage.
- Support district teams in monitoring, reporting, and addressing emerging challenges in sanitation adoption.
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
The SBM–2019 programme included:
- Deployment of motivators and field coordinators to intensify community outreach.
- Capacity-building sessions on ODF sustainability, monitoring tools, and behaviour reinforcement strategies.
- Behaviour-change communication through triggering follow-ups, village meetings, IPC visits, school sessions, and sanitation rallies.
- Collaboration with panchayat members, frontline workers, and community influencers to strengthen collective responsibility.
- Systematic reporting and monitoring support to district and block administrations.
- Awareness campaigns and community-driven activities to maintain momentum in sanitation adoption.
KEY COVERAGE AREAS
- Post-ODF behaviour reinforcement
- Community outreach and motivation
- Capacity building of frontline teams
- ODF sustainability monitoring
- Continued sanitation awareness campaigns
SUPPORTED BY
UNICEF
Location
Bihar