October 17, 2014
Take Poo to the Loo: Demystifying Sanitation in India
Where and how do you poop? In India, for 50% of the population the answer is on the streets - also known as open defecation. Largely considered a stigma, pooping and sanitation is often found as the last topic on budget releases by the Government of India. However, recently there has been a shift in promoting sanitation by providing toilet access for all. For her research internship at the environmental policy think-tank Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, India, Garima had the chance to work in the Water and Sanitation department researching sanitation problems for India’s under-represented, i.e. the rural population. Through an academic viewpoint, she was granted access to research the topic of sanitation by learning about its complexity from various lenses – economic, political, social and cultural. From caste issues, to the perception of a toilet as a "luxury", she learned that the answer to open defecation was not as simple as providing a toilet. Rather, it required a complete shift in the mindset of the population. In this panel, she will be talking about how she secured this internship, what it takes to thrive in an academic research environment and the challenges that come along with it. As she is now translating her research into an independent study, she will also talk about how an internship can evolve into a future interest and possible career path.
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