Jitu Makwana Community Producer from Aapna Malak Maa wrote about the change that the video brought about in his community. Read it below. We have translated it into English from Gujarati.

Friends, we have seen that we have a lot of issues around us. Dirty surroundings and toilets are one of them. The Apna Malak Ma team made a film on the issue of toilets. We showed this film in many different villages including in Choraniya village on 29/08/08 in a night screening. This village falls under Limbdi Taluka in Surendranagar District, Gujarat. After watching this film, for the first time, the villagers in Choraniya village talked about the issues of their village. This film also had a story about Hotel Bhagyodaya, which is on the highway near the village. This hotel used to empty its waste and dirty water in the pond in Choraniya village and this was the main issue in the village. There was a huge question about the health affects on the community people because of dirty water. Many people used to fall ill after drinking water from this pond. People were not able to protest against the owner of the Hotel because he was very influential. For the first time, the villagers got some support from the Aapna Malak Ma Team on this issue. They also got ready to protest and stand up against this. As the community got organized and ready, Aapna Malak Ma team along with the community members established a Women’s Council in the village. The Women’s Council and the CVU team took out a rally together protesting against the disposal of the dirty water in the village pond. They gave application letters to the Taluka Officer. They also filed a case against the Hotel owner. The community people won this case. This way, unity and humanity had a big win! The community people were also able to get rid of their fear of the Hotel owner because of this. The Hotel owner dismantled the earlier toilet from which the dirty water used to enter the pond, and made the promise to build a new flush toilet. Also, the dirty water that was being let into the pond also stopped. This also solved the issue of health in the village.

Watch our video here!