Sapna (name changed) lives in Kutch district of Gujarat and studies in class 8. Her period started recently, and she did not know much about it. Her mother didn't tell her much about it either. Due to fear and hesitation, she could not find anyone to know more about periods and the problem she was facing.

When further explored, it was found that she use cloth and changes it only twice. Team members showed her sanitary pad and asked her to try it and change it 4 times a day during periods. She was given a packet of pads also. A few days later, Sapna informed PRAYAS team that she is feeling very comfortable, and her itching problem was also gone. Now Sapna regularly use sanitary pad.

Gopal, a truck driver from Bihar, has been driving between Gujarat and West Bengal for the past 20 years. Gopal is the sole bread earner in the family and studied till class 8. He spends 3-5 days on each trip, driving continuously for 12-15 hours to meet deadlines. For the last six months, Gopal had been suffering from persistent back and shoulder pain. Due to his low monthly income, he avoided visiting a doctor and relied on home remedies, which provided no relief.

One day, while waiting in a parking lot in Gandhidham for his truck to be loaded, his cleaner informed him about a free health camp organized by PRAYAS NGO nearby. Taking advantage of his free time, Gopal visited the camp with his cleaner. The doctor provided him with painkillers and explained that the pain was due to constant driving and an unhealthy diet. A PRAYAS instructor also demonstrated quick body stretches and fitness exercises, advising him to practice them daily.

A month later, Gopal, feeling much better, contacted PRAYAS through a WhatsApp group to express his gratitude. His pain had vanished, and he now exercises daily, following the instructions from the booklet provided by PRAYAS.

I am Joya Lakra, a young girl from the Urang tribal community, living in the Tongonagaon Tea Estate in Assam’s Tinsukia district. After my father passed away, I could only finish high school before joining my mother in the tea gardens to make ends meet. But life was hard, especially when it came to basic needs like clean drinking water and proper sanitation. The groundwater in our area is heavily contaminated, and without a water supply, we had no choice but to buy water at great expense. To make matters worse, we had no proper toilets, forcing us, especially girls like me, to go into the forest for defecation, which was not only embarrassing but unsafe.

One day, while working in the tea estate, I met the team from Prayas and joined their WASH program. I was shy and nobody knew me, but through the WASH training, everything changed. I became a WASH champion, helping my community to access safe drinking water with silver-coated filter candles. Now, over 2,000 people enjoy clean water, and new community toilets have improved our dignity and health. It's especially a relief during monsoon season, when open defecation was once a nightmare. Children no longer fall ill from waterborne diseases—our lives have truly transformed.