87-year-old woman constructs toilet to make her village open defecation free

After the District Administration Team of the village launched many awareness camps about the 'Swach Bharat Mission', educating villagers about the ill effects of defecating in open, Rakkhi took a lead and decided to construct her own toilet

An 87-year-old woman from Badali village of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district is single-handedly constructing a toilet near her home in order to make her village open defecation free. The woman is doing the task all by herself because she does not have the fund to hire labourers. She has now become a role model for the whole country.

After the District Administration Team of the village launched many awareness camps about the 'Swach Bharat Mission', educating villagers about the ill effects of defecating in open, Rakkhi took a lead and decided to construct her own toilet. While speaking to ANI, Rakki disclosed that from a decade she had been defecating in open without knowing its ill effects.

'I want everyone to use the toilet as defecating in open gives birth to many kinds of diseases. I am poor and don¿t have money to build a toilet, hence decided to build the toilet with my own hands without any constructed tool or help. My son made the mud for my toilet after which I leveled the bricks and did the masonry work myself. Within 7 days my toilet will be completed,' she added.

Deputy Commissioner Udhampur praised her work saying, 'It is time for people to change their traditional mindset. I was shocked to know that an 87-year-old woman built the toilet herself without any help. I salute the spirit of the woman and everyone should learn a lesson from her.' The Deputy Commissioner also said that every possible help will be provided to the lady.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from ANI)

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