Swacchameva Jayate
As design partners to the Dept. of RDPR, Govt. of Karnataka, we used design to shape and influence people’s behaviour. To spread and perpetuate a new culture of cleanliness across the State!
Using design thinking, as a methodology and tool to change the mindset of every woman, man and child towards waste segregation, sanitation and water. Aligning all stakeholders, influencers and end users.
My Role : Design Lead // Research and Insights // Communication Design and Strategy // Storyboarding // Film Direction
Team : Girish Raj Nair (Strategy Director, Founding Partner, Spread) // Sonia Manchanda (Chief Designer, Founding Partner, Spread) // Mallikarjuna Swami (Program Lead) // Raji Math (Principal Designer and Partner) // Sreeraj and Sreenath N (Cinematographer and Film Editor) // Mejo Kuriachan (Design Manager) // Suryarshi Mitra (Content-writer) // Rhea Vergis (Design Intern) // Murugan (Studio)
©️Spread Design and Innovation Pvt Ltd
How do we inspire people of Karnataka to adopt a new culture of cleanliness!
And bring about a paradigm shift in their behaviours, rituals and practices?
In just 8 months, 73 lakh toilets were built and 4 lakh new toilets were work-in-progress. Currently, 1,000 villages across the State are getting Solid Waste Management units. The government is also constructing 20,000 check dams and rejuvenating 14,000 water bodies. Today, over 30 lakh saplings are being planted everyday and 2 crore saplings are being distributed amongst people.
But infrastructure alone cannot be the solution. The urge to change needs to be awakened within the people.
Swacchameva Jayate!
Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Cleanliness is victory. Cleanliness is the truth.
We conceptualised and designed Swacchameva Jayate, to take the message of Swachhata to every household in every village and district of Karnataka.
Leveraging the power of familiarity, Swacchameva Jayate is a clarion call to every resident in every village and district to take the Swachhata pledge, join the movement to make Karnataka cleaner, greener and healthier, and ensure that there is water for ever, for everyone.
Swacchameva Jayate created an integrated Information, Education, Communication and Activation (IEC) framework that enabled large scale cultural and behavioural change in a wide cross section of society — in the context of rural sanitation, waste management and water practices to transform behaviour across socio-economic groups.
6.41 crore people
30 districts
29000+ villages
Children as Champions of Swachhata
While changing adult behaviour takes more time and effort, children are a lot more amenable to change. They are spontaneous, honest and full of infectious energy and have the power to create the India of tomorrow.
As the champions of Swachhata, children played a key role in spreading awareness of the various Swachhata parameters in every district, every village of Karnataka.
Creating a new set of symbols
The Swachhameva Jayate identity combines a graphic representation of the map of Karnataka, a little Huduga (boy) and Hudugi (girl) and the Swachhameva Jayate message rendered in both Kannada and English.
// Insights from the field
At the onset of Swachhameva Jayate, we undertook an intensive primary research methodology. Mapping the state into 5 zones, we travelled across the state to document the attitudes, behaviours and practices towards sanitation, waste management and water among people and communities. The following insights then drove the strategic and design direction
2000 Kms
12 Taluks
18 Villages
Women are torchbearers!
Women are more inclined towards taking positive action towards sanitation, waste management and water. We need to focus more on them as the agents of change.
Outsiders are culprits!
We need to make the migrant population aware of the consequences of their actions and create communication to inspire behaviour change among them.
Homegrown solutions!
Homegrown products and solutions seem to exist which can be implemented and scaled up across rural Karnataka. We need to make people believe that it is possible for them to use home solutions on their own and benefit from it.
// Simplifying the idea!
While people are aware of the need to embrace Swachhata, how do you nudge them to actually start practicing it?
To simplify the idea of Swachhata, and create on-ground action among the people, we designed a series of posters, flip-charts and instructional stamps.
These simple, action oriented, graphic communication pieces went viral across the State, in traditional and digital media.
“Byallali Beda / Don’t Defecate in the Open” is being amplified in every rural household.
People everywhere are being inspired to divide and conquer waste by going “By Two : Segregate wet and dry waste”
Medium is truly
the message
To ensure maximum impact with greater reach, quicker timeframes and cost effectiveness, we used the mediums as message!
Toilet doors across Karnataka were painted yellow, as a mark of cleanliness.
Our vibrant illustrations were turned into wall paintings by local artists, that showcased people practicing waste segregation, using toilets and saving water in every village.
Training On-Ground Digital Swacchagrahis
Using Design Thinking as a methodology, immersive workshops were conducted to train volunteers and IEC consultants across the state in the latest tools and technology for documentation to transform them into ‘Digital Swachhagrahis’.
90+ Swachhagrahis Trained
2 Design Mentors
Persuasion through demonstration
Actions speak louder than words. As part of the roll-out of Swachhameva Jayate and Jalamrutha, we created a set of films with the Hon’ble Minister, RDPR. Taking a show and tell approach, the films have the Minister talking of the ways to segregate and manage waste, conserve water, plant trees et al. The films are being rolled out as episodes on the Swachhameva Jayate channel..
Mapping Success Stories
Across Karnataka
Going Viral on Social Media
Leveraging the power of the vernacular, we conceptualized, shot, edited and created multiple films to spread the call for Swachhata across Karnataka. These include success stories, influencer films, live action / mix media instructional films. In parallel, the Swachhameva Jayate anthem was created, and is being sung in every classroom in rural Karnataka to spread virally across social media, and bring forth the desired change.
Currently, the Swachhata Rathas are travelling to every village across 30 districts, with the films playing to spread awareness.
Street theatre and folk performances on waste management, water and sanitation are also being held regularly.
// Design Impact
Swachhameva Jayate was rolled out as a statewide multimedia campaign.
The impact of the design and communication pieces is rippling out in massive waves. I was responsible for on-ground research, creating concepts and leading the design team to final execution of deliverables.