60 year old Laduben lives in the coastal village of Chanch near GHCL’s Salt division at Port Victor in Gujarat. She is a widow with locomotor disability and has a daughter who is 19 and married within the village, and a son who keeps moving from one place to another for labour work. So, Laduben is mostly alone at home.

Her village Chanch Bandar, is surrounded by sea water unfit for drinking. Potable water has to be brought from the Panchayat situated 2 kms away. Due to her disability, Laduben depends on her neighbours and daughter for drinking water.

To resolve the water crisis of this area, GHCL Foundation is constructing underground household water harvesting structures with the people’s participation. The GHCL Foundation supports the initiative by providing 50% cost of construction.

Laduben’s daughter Manisha, applied for a water harvesting tank which was soon sanctioned by GHCL. When GHCL’s field team visited their home for the physical verification of progress, they were surprised to see that Manisha had dug the entire pit measuring 6 feet in depth and 12 feet wide on her own. The team asked her “Why you did not hire labour for the pit?” She has replied “Sir, if we could afford labour, my brother would not have left this widow mother at home and migrated to find work.”

Today, Laduben has an underground tank of sweet drinking water at home. Manisha said “Now I can live with my in-laws without fear for my mother.” Laduben said “Now, I am not dependent on anyone for the drinking water.” Laduben and her daughter Manisha are now living a happy, stress free and peaceful life.

Before construction & after

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