Ecopro Auroville

05/05/2020

EcoPro founder Dr. Lucas Dengel explains details about the use of Effective Microbes in house-hold cleaning and composting. EM is natural, safe and non-poisonous to the environment. It's use also enhances composting processes by increasing healthy microbes in the soil.

India: The use of microbes can make cleaning your home safe for you and the environment, just as good bacteria ferment our foods

28/03/2020

Do you know what the nutrient cycle is?
We would like to share this graphic developed by Ecopro Auroville to help visualize the nutrient cycle and explain the role of ecological sanitation (EcoSan) in maintaining this essential cycle of nature. It shows a toilet called the Urine-Diversion Dry Toilet or UDDT; A dry toilet that treats f***l matter in-situ over a period of 12-18 months, providing a safe-to-use soil conditioner. Urine is collected separately and can be used directly as an excellent fertiliser.
The UDDT significantly reduces water consumption in sanitation, making it an extremely relevant design.

29/01/2020

EcoPro staff attend a Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) training for the Urban Local Body members of Karunguzhi Town Panchayat, Kancheepuram district. This is in preparation for upcoming FSM trainings to be conducted by EcoPro to assist ULBs in Tamil Nadu to participate in the state wide urban sanitation program focused on improving management of faecal sludge in areas without access to underground sewer systems.

29/01/2020

These are the Boodheri women.
The Boodheri women recycle water and nutrients in their new kitchen garden.
The Boodheri women use Ecosan toilets to save water, reuse urine and prepare a safe, natural soil conditioner.
The Boodheri women are trying to grow some of their own food with their friends.
The Boodheri women are smart.
Be like the Boodheri women.

We believe that maintaining a kitchen garden is an excellent way to recycle water and nutrients while also having fun!
Did you know that grey water from your kitchen can easily be reused in your garden if you eliminate the use of harsh chemical dishwashers? The women of Boodheri are doing exactly this. They have turned an unsightly sump of grey water into a beautiful garden fed by recycling kitchen wastewater. Along with this, they are using the urine collected from their Ecosan toilets as fertiliser and the treated faecal matter as a soil conditioner.
Caring for a kitchen garden is a beautiful way to remain connected with nature, a meditative and fun activity to share with children and a small step toward food sovereignty.

29/01/2020

We believe that maintaining a kitchen garden is an excellent way to recycle water and nutrients while also having fun!
Did you know that grey water from your kitchen can easily be reused in your garden if you eliminate the use of harsh chemical dishwashers? The women of Boodheri are doing exactly this. They have turned an unsightly sump of grey water into a beautiful garden fed by recycling kitchen wastewater. Along with this, they are using the urine collected from their Ecosan toilets as fertiliser and the treated faecal matter as a soil conditioner.
Caring for a kitchen garden is a beautiful way to remain connected with nature, a meditative and fun activity to share with children and a small step toward food sovereignty.

27/01/2020

On the 23rd of January 2020, EcoPro accompanied a team of doctors from JIPMER, Pondicherry, to the Kalvarayan Hills in Tamil Nadu, home to the Scheduled Tribe called Malayalis.
EcoPro is in-charge of a nutrition project with three government schools in the villages of Melthoradipattu, Mundiyur and Matapattu which has now entered its 5th year. As a part of this effort, EcoPro administers a daily nutrition program for the children and monitors their health improvement with the help of periodic visits of medical teams from JIPMER. The children underwent a general health check-up including tests for hemoglobin, body mass index and skin infections. Awareness was raised about WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
The JIPMER team also took this opportunity to offer medical services to the residents of the villages.

19/07/2018

Today Ecopro organised the third visit, in a span of 3 years, of a team of doctors from JIPMER hospital to the Kalvarayan Hills. We conducted a health check-up for children from three government schools in Scheduled Tribe settlements called Mundiyur, Matapattam and Thoradipattu.

The JIPMER team tested the children for anaemia, growth development, skin diseases and ophthalmic health. This health camp is part of an ongoing nutrition and health program that aims to address the high incidence of anaemia and malnutrition among the children of these three schools, which was assessed by Ecopro in collaboration with JIPMER in 2014-15. The team of doctors also extended their services to locals of the area who otherwise have very limited access to health facilities.

05/06/2018

Last Friday and Saturday we took some farmers from the Kalrayan Hills to an exposure visit to Chennai and Auroville under the theme "organic farming and water management". In Chennai we visited ReStore and OFM (Organic Farmers Market) and in Auroville they had a tour on Discipline Farm and in Raveena Forest.

27/11/2017

Did you catch 'Thanneerae Saami!' (Water is God!)?

Made by Y Not Productions, this short film documents EcoPro's WASH (water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) behavior change work in Vadamanapakkam.

Project partner: Project RISHI

Youtube link:

Thanneerae Saami! (தண்ணீரே சாமி!) (literally 'Water is God!') documents the drinking water crisis in Vadamanapakkam (a village in Thiruvannamalai district, T...

24/11/2017

Thanneerae Saami! (தண்ணீரே சாமி!) (literally 'Water is God!') documents the drinking water crisis in Vadamanapakkam (a village in Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu), where Ecopro Auroville has been working to catalyze hygiene behavior change.

One of Vadamanapakkam's primary sources of drinking water is an open, unprotected well located in the middle of a low-lying lake bed that serves as a catchment area for rainwater and simultaneously is a preferred spot for open defecation. It would be rather surprising not to find this water f***lly contaminated.

In this project, EcoPro tested the water quality, surveyed the residents, and engaged with government officials of the Panchayat office to learn about the maintenance of the bore well, storage tank and distribution network. EcoPro also had meetings with the Block Medical Officer to learn about reported waterborne illnesses.

At the government primary school, EcoPro ran a two-day workshop. – On day one, a student rally was organized, taking students around the village to draw the villagers' attention to the quality of their drinking water and the handling practices adopted in their homes. On day two, there was a themed coloring competition organized for students and a series of small fun games.

Project partner: Project RISHI, UCLA
Movie by: Y Not Productions, Auroville
EcoPro logo design: Srividya Sriram