Foreigners get their hands dirty, inspire villagers

A team of foreign nationals from England are camping at Kannur village near Hanur, teaching the students the importance of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, and creating awareness on the government schemes, in Chamarajangar district.

A seven-member team, comprising employees who are on a sabbatical and volunteers, arrived at the village on February 12, where the members have been successful in winning the hearts of the people here.

For the last month, the team has been visiting every household and interacting with the residents to ascertain the problems faced by them. The problems are later brought to the notice of the respective authorities, seeking solution.
Two teams from England have camped at Kannur and Boodabalu village in Kollegal taluk under the projects International Citizen Service (ICS) and Oscar Ten Rally India 2015.
The volunteers have visited the places of historical importance in and around the villages and have collected relevant details. They have also shown great interest in understanding the festivals celebrated in the villages and a number of traditions followed by the residents.
Their main objective is to create awareness on keeping the environment clean and hygienic, to prevent spread of diseases like malaria and other epidemic outbreak. Pradeesh and Vijay from Mandya are helping these foreigners to interact with the locals.

The team is found explaining the government schemes and their benefits to common man; the importance of conserving the water table and not wasting drinking water.
They are also seen holding discussions with the members of women’s self help groups and youth associations. Another agenda is to help make the district open defecation free.
The members have themselves constructed a toilet at their own cost, at the house of a family with three girl children. They were helped by other volunteers.