Saturday 7 June 2008

Slum Networking in India

Slum Networking – Transcending Poverty with Innovative Water and Sanitation Paradigm’ was one of the three winning projects, all from India, announced last month by Changemakers.net. Slum networking is the brainchild of civil engineer Himanshu Parikh; it’s simply fantastic − basically simplified sewerage and more, much more. The cost per household in September 2006 was INR 16,000 (around USD 350) and this paid for individual household sewerage and water supply connections, stormwater drainage, a solid waste bin and landscaping. The sewerage component was INR 6000 − basically a bargain! Invest in the slums and the slums will repay you many times. Well done Himanshu, slum networker par excellence.