Hello, I Am Babli And This Is My Sorry State of Hygiene

As far I can drag my memories back to my lousy childhood there are many worsts of life that I have compromised all along during all these 16 years. The moment I started walking properly, I remember to go along with the females of my family – young and old, together. It was like a herd of animals – very early in the morning – before the day used to dawn and Sun used to come out of the blanket of night’s darkness. 

We all had to go far from our house to relieve ourselves from one of the essential daily chores of life, for defecation. In our small village houses were built without a proper toilet where we could perform it – as and when required. It was a compulsion to go early morning, to defecate, all together, far from home, all sitting at a short distance from each other – each carrying a small mug of water – to wash afterwards. Everything used to be so dreadful, shabby and unhygienic.

I never understood why elders of my family never thought of building a small enclosed structure, even outside the house, for the purpose. Probably the tradition was being carried on for years, generation after generation. It was quite painful to control yourself throughout the day and wait till next morning. Even if you have a feeling to relieve yourself, there was no option. I remember when I was 6, I had got my stomach upset and had an urge to defecate frequently. But I was put on hold, forcefully, by my grandmother, to control it within as going alone away from home, even during the day, was not safe. And by the evening, I started vomiting, acquired infection inside my body due to same. 

It took 4 days for me to come to normal state. The only thing I used to ask from God during my prayer time was to get us out of this dirty chore. That small mug of water never used to be sufficient and hence it was never a healthy washing. On our way back we had to pick up mud from the side of a nearby pond, rub it on our hands and wash them in that dirty water of the pond. The so called pond was a bathing place for the village domestic animals – cows, bulls etc.

Even while performing this dreadful act, we used to have a big fight with the flies, hovering around our whole body, face and everywhere. I wonder why ladies kept talking to each other during this unavoidable exercise. At least, some precautions could be taken to safeguard. It was really shameful that we had to go every day during any kind of weather – rain, high winds and what not. A serious incident happened one day when one of my cousins was attacked by a dog while she was defecating, she tried running, to save herself, but could not, and fell down, breaking her elbow, in a rush.

Probably God heard my prayers and a great initiative started last year by Domex to start a mass drive by initiating to build proper toilets, to bring in proper hygiene and cleanliness, to save us from infections, dirt, and fears. The life is going to be simpler and clean with the help of Domex Toilet Academy. I request all readers to participate in “You Click Domes Contributes” initiative. The mission started exactly a year before has a target of building 24,000 toilets by 2015. Long live the mission to cover the remotest of villages, and a lot of young Bablis like me. 

I really feel like coming out of this shameful, torturous and fearful life to a better, respectful, healthy and fearless life. The change has given me a new life.

You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.