Mumbai: Taking forward their strategic partnership to set up 10 new Suvidha Centres across Mumbai, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and JSW Foundation, launched the second Suvidha Centre in Dindoshi, Goregaon.
This initiative builds on the successful Suvidha Model initiated by HUL in 2016, making this the 20th Centre as part of HUL’s public-private partnership with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), JSW Foundation and HSBC India.
Suvidha is a purpose-built, sustainable and first-of-its-kind urban water, hygiene and sanitation community centre that provides hygiene and sanitation solutions to low-income households in Mumbai.
Key Highlights of the New Suvidha Centres
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All amenities at Suvidha Centre are available at affordable rates |
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· Toilets for women, children, men & people with disabilities: inclusive by design. Safe, private, hygienic, and odour-free toilets · Shower facilities · Handwashing stations · Clean drinking water · Laundromat services · Panic button & sanitary napkin dispensers in women’s toilet · All centres are solar powered |
The Suvidha Centres are designed to address the comprehensive hygiene and sanitation needs of low-income communities, offering all essential services under one roof. The tested and proven holistic approach is built around human centric design, providing safety to women & children, and working with the communities. These facilities, in addition to strong community engagement and strong operating processes, leads to high satisfaction and improved health outcomes among users.
- 24×7 access: The new centre will benefit an additional 20,000 people, providing access to safe toilets that run 24×7, purified drinking water, showers, and laundry services.
- Affordable Amenities: Services will be offered at affordable rates.
- Inclusively designed keeping in mind the needs of women, children, the elderly and the differently abled.
- Focus on the Safety of Women and Children: The centre has separate washrooms for men, women and children with facilities for senior citizens and the specially-abled. To ensure the safety of the women using the facility, the washrooms are equipped with a ‘panic button’ for emergencies.
- Sustainability at the Core: 180 million litres has been saved cumulatively through water management practices at the Suvidha Centres. The Centres are powered by solar energy.
- Behaviour Change Programmes: HUL and JSW Foundation will run a comprehensive behaviour change programme in the communities around the centre to ensure improvement in individual and overall community health.
“At HUL, we’re proud to drive transformative change through our Suvidha centres, providing best-in-class hygiene and sanitation facilities. This pioneering model, initiated in 2016 by HUL stands as a testament to the power of partnerships. We, along with our partners remain committed to creating a healthier and more sustainable future for all”- Sashidhar Vempala, Chief Sustainability Officer, Hindustan Unilever Ltd.
Commenting on the launch, Harshvardhan Nawathe, CEO of JSW Foundation, said, “We remain committed to strengthening urban communities through our collaboration with Hindustan Unilever Limited and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Our primary focus is providing accessible and affordable sanitation facilities in densely populated pockets across Mumbai while ensuring the safety of women and children.”
Additional Details about Suvidha Centre
- 500,000 men, women, and children currently have access to clean sanitation facilities through these 20 Centres.
- 180 million litres of water saved by 20 Centres cumulatively to date.
- 9 in 10 users find Suvidha Centers easy to access and inclusive.
- 98% of women believe Suvidha is safe for them and their children.
- ~50% reduction in diarrhoea and UTI cases among Suvidha users.
- Over 90% user satisfaction among women and children on Suvidha services.
