Several days remain before the Bengaluru students present their design thinking assignments. Today, all three student project groups looked toward the community for answers to support the product design process. My group, investigating methods for improving sanitation in water storage, began the day with a drive to a below-the-poverty-line community.
This eye-opening experience allowed for observations of water storage, sanitation, and collection. Findings revealed that these families use 20-liter tanks within the home to hold drinking water, and these tanks are susceptible to microbial contamination as they lack proper cleaning between refills. Bathing and dishwashing water is delivered twice a week by a water tanker refilling large water drums. Unfortunately, an alert of recent kidnappings in the area created suspicion of our intentions, and the visit was cut short after we apologized for any misinterpretation of our presence.
After a stop at Udupi Nalapaka for a late Indian lunch, the students returned to the Indian Social Institute and debriefed.
Later that evening, all students attended a cooking lesson with Lalitha, the mother of our professor, Aruna Raman. This lesson and dining was held within Aruna’s humble abode. We were surprised with the delivery of our trip t-shirts during a home cooked meal of chappati, aloo gobhi, pulao, and moong daal, with coconut milk kheer for dessert.
-Levi P.
