Inadequate and unsafe sanitation results in over 100,000 annual child deaths with an estimated economic loss of USD 54 billion to India. Inadequate sanitation is not only a dignity issue but is deeply linked to health, education and productivity outcomes.
In the past four years, under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we have made giant strides with over 90 million toilets built. It is now time for the next leap – to focus on themes beyond toilet construction and to support high impact projects in these themes in collaboration with key stakeholders.
The Swachh Maharashtra Grand Challenge is a first-of-its-kind open innovation platform set up in partnership with the Government, Corporate and Social Sector to identify, implement, nurture and replicate highly innovative, effective, scalable and sustainable sanitation projects starting with the themes of :
- Toilet usage
- School sanitation
- Sanitation workers and
- Faecal sludge management
Each of the four themes has a carefully designed problem statement hosted at a digital portal. Any Indian organisation including NGOs, Social Enterprises, For-Profit Companies, Academic Institutions and others can submit their solutions, against each of these themes on the portal, which will then undergo a careful evaluation from a diverse and expert jury panel.
Post a careful evaluation from a diverse and expert jury panel, the Top 50 solutions will be registered on a funder marketplace while the Top 20 solutions will be invited to funder and networking forums over the course of next year.
The winning solutions will be provided with a unique opportunity to raise grant capital to implement their project starting with Chandrapur District of Maharashtra. In addition, these projects will receive capacity building support, local implementation support and an opportunity to potentially replicate projects that demonstrate success across Maharashtra and India.
The challenge was launched on 8th March 2019 in presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra – Shri Devendra Fadnavis with a call to action to all social organizations and corporates to support the initiative.
For more information, sign up on washgrandchallenge.in
Deadline: May 1, 2019 – 23:59 hrs
