CREATING OPEN MINDS

Real change is created by a generational shift in thinking. As we worked with different organizations within Pakistan, we quickly realized that there is a growing disconnect between the Pakistani people and the issue. Those from the richer areas were less informed about the water crisis, while for those from less resourced areas, it had become their lifestyle.

With professors at our university, we developed a sanitation based workshops that we are disseminating in multiple schools within the Sindh area. The workshops consisted of statistical data on the water crisis that was contextualized in simple sanitation improvements that every individual can embody. This was supplemented with the Active Citizens Program that is in its infancy. This is a program that allows students in colleges to participate in volunteer-based work across Karachi, working on multiple projects including measuring level of contamination in different areas around Karachi to collect concrete data on the disparate effects of contaminated water.

We are also proud of our current initiatives based in healthcare clinics in rural Sindh that optimizes procedures and reduces chances of contaminants being introduced to patients. Based on the Dr. Atul Gawande’s research, we are working to implement basic checklists that remind medical professionals proper sanitation techniques before working with patients. With the advice of physicians, this concept has manifested in creating quick checklists that can be referenced during interactions ranging from a physical exam to surgical procedures.