Community in Action: Driving Change Through Clean Up Drives

At the heart of AMMACHI Labs’ mission and that of its Centre for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE) is the belief that when women lead, communities transform. Through work across India, CWEGE has mentored and trained local women and youth as community organizers and facilitators, equipping them to drive change from within. These trained leaders are not just implementing projects, they’re mobilizing their own communities, identifying problems, and organizing collective action to solve them.

This growing spirit of ownership and leadership was clearly visible across villages in Punjab and Haryana, where CWEGE facilitators and SHG women organized sanitation drives to reclaim neglected public spaces.As part of “State Cleaning Week” (Aug, 2023) declared by the Haryana State Government, 12 women from the Amrita Pooja SHG in Kanti village cleaned one of the most neglected parts of their community.

In another sanitation drive outside Amrita Park in Kanti, 30 SHG women joined forces with CWEGE staff and four sanitation workers. With logistical support from the village Sarpanch, garbage was removed, and the park reclaimed.

Meanwhile, in New Thariyal village, Punjab, during a Life Enrichment Education (LEE) discussion on civic engagement, 40 SHG women, ASHA workers, Anganwadi teachers, and adolescent girls spontaneously took action. Seeing the village’s entrance road filled with garbage, they cleaned it then and there, and also committed to preventing future dumping.

Finally, in Maira, Punjab, a community cleanup event was organized by our community organiser where 35 villagers, and enthusiastic children participated by cleaning the village’s main entry point. Children led the way with posters and a village-wide rally.

Participation Highlights

• 3 villages activated: Kanti (Haryana), New Thariyal & Maira (Punjab)
• 100+ community members engaged, including SHG women, youth, sanitation workers, and local leaders
• 4 public areas cleaned, including roads, entry points, and park surroundings

These community-led sanitation drives are visible acts of shared community responsibility. By coming together to reclaim neglected public spaces, women and youth are not just improving their environments, but strengthening their belief in their own collective power to create change.