Ahmedabad

We arrived late in the evening after very long day and evening flight. From Nagpur. With bleary eyes we walked through what we later found out was a toilet garden at an environmental sanitation institute. At first we thought perhaps these were the outdoor facilities we would be using! No need to worry though because we found the best rooms yet awaiting, with Western toilets and running hot water! What a treat a hot shower is for road weary travelers! All the rooms in the guest houses were decorated with local village handicraft work-beautiful. In the morning we discovered the simple beauty of an institute dedicated to rural village sanitation. When started 60 years ago only 8 % had proper toilets and sanitation, and today through their work and others like them 60%. Both Father and Son Patel,two saintly man who follow Gandhi’s in footsteps, lead a group of professionals and volunteers in bringing sanitation technology to hundreds of villages around Ahmedabad. ( the photo abofe is of the son-his father passed away last year) Their institute is an educational and conference facilty but the real work occures in a traveling van that takes workers to the villages to teach the new technology, with capability to show educational movies about cleanliness.

A notable quote-"To open our eyes, we most close our I" I'm thinking this would make a great place for a doctoral study of service, including assisting with the village visits. They welcome volunteers and the takaways on direct service for a basic human need would be immense.