Namaskara!

As we complete our third week in Hubli-Dharwad, our designs at the village level have been finalized and the activities are underway. This week focused on planning the compost and waste segregation site for Gumgol and Shivalli. In each village, we will work with Bhageerath and the local panchayat to construct a platform, that is able to hold about 2 months of organic waste. In addition, the panchayats will support the installation of 3 more bins to segregate the plastics, metals and glass. Materials will be brought to recycling centers. The platforms will be designed to collect any runoff in a container to be used

locally on garden and agricultural lands.

Focus on Gumgol

Gumgol is a village of over 500 households, totaling approximately 2,800 people.

The active village leaders and panchayat have created a ‘dust bin’ (trash can) system around the community which is collected every other day. Currently, the waste is not segregated and is simply dumped

into pits. The success of the community dust bin system is easily seen by the cleanliness of the streets and school yard.

Our project will create a waste segregation system at the village level as well as a composting method that only requires 6-8 weeks to generate rich compost that can be applied to land or sold to farmers. The panchayat secretary has been very supportive of the project and we look forward to ordering supplies and breaking ground early next week.

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The UNC Innovators’ team with Bhageerath conducts its first educational activities with fifteen 11 to15 year-

old students at Gumgol school in Dharwad district, Karnataka.

29 June 2009

Future site of compost and solid waste management system in Gumgol.

Reusing, recycling our waste to improve livelihood and health

Waste to Wealth through innovation

School Education

We successfully held our first class sessions on waste management and composting at the anganwadi in Gumgol on Wednesday. The students were very active and receptive, which made the teaching experience easy; despite the language barrier. We asked the students to identify biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials by placing pictures representing each category in the appropriately colored bin.

For every right answer, the students received a piece of candy. Needless to say, they got all the answers correct! Within an hour, the 15 students successfully learned how to properly separate waste and the effects of composting. Puttaramu, their teacher and acting headmaster, was a big help in translating.

On Friday, we demonstrated how to recycle used paper by making a piñata with the children. (A piñata is a large hollow painted structure filled with candy that children can break open.) We also asked them to draw a set of bio degradable materials and non-biodegradable materials to recap what they learned. The drawings demonstrated their

ability to recall the week’s lessons. Great job kids!!

More

In terms of personal accomplishments, our Kannada is improving! We can actually string some basic phrases together now. We may not have the accents right, but we are definitely trying.

Student leaders excel! A job well done.

Primary school students at lunch in Gumgol. Dust bins in Gumgol.

This weekend, we attended a true Indian wedding. Arvind Kulkarni’s son got married. It was a beautiful occasion. Thank you to the family for inviting us! Special Thanks and Recognitions to the staff of Bhageerath, the panchayat from Shivalli and Gumgol, the teachers and headmasters of the respective schools, the Deshpande Foundation and UNC – School of Public Health.