A Water Hero Lighting Lives

Ashutosh Singh, a 24-year-old young leader from Nalasopara East, Mumbai, has transformed his community by advocating for education, clean water, infrastructure improvement, safety, and health education. His passion intensified upon joining the Magic Bus India Foundation, where he took on a pivotal role in spearheading the cause and fearlessly engaged with government officials until the desired changes were implemented.

Before aligning with Magic Bus, Ashutosh was a proactive community leader, teaching science to adolescents within his community. He joined Magic Bus in 2016, recognising the positive impact that Life Skills education could bring to the lives of adolescents in his community.

"I was impressed with the life skills session at Magic Bus. It's impactful, and the ability to teach important life lessons in a fun sports way was intriguing," said Ashutosh.

Early Years

In 1997, Ashutosh Singh and his family relocated from Uttar Pradesh to Gorai Pada, Nalasopara East, Mumbai, where they encountered challenges related to water and electricity. He lives with his mother, a homemaker, father, an auto driver, and a brother.  

Recalling those years, Ashutosh remarked, "Every day, my parents would wake up early and walk for an hour to fetch water from a distant location. Drinking clean water was a dream for all of us. We had no tap water access, and our community faced nightly disruptions in water flow due to decaying roadside pipes."

When Ashutosh joined Magic Bus, he received crucial support and mentoring that empowered him to navigate challenges. These challenges included protests against the local Municipal Corporation, mobilising young people in the community, meeting with government departments, and addressing delays. The protests led by the young leaders prompted visits from the Municipal Service and the Assembly, ultimately resulting in providing around 250 homes with access to drinking water. This initiative has not only reduced waterborne diseases but has also significantly increased school attendance by an impressive 99%.

Ashutosh’s other achievements include:

• Conducted awareness sessions on Water & Sanitation with 1800 students and reached out to 1000 parents in the community.
• Installation of over 200 streetlights, ensuring that residents can travel safely, even at night.
• Developed road construction with the help of local government support in the community for better infrastructure facilities, ensuring safe travel, benefiting 1000 community people.
• Enrolled adolescents in government schools and instilled in them the importance of learning, setting them on a path to a brighter future.

The major turning point occurred in 2021 when Ashutosh participated as a Young Leader in the Manchester City programme in the UK, facilitated by Magic Bus. This initiative aimed to make additional contributions to community development, specifically focusing on WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene).

Through these experiences, Ashutosh gained insights into global water issues. As a representative of his community, he explored inventive approaches to address local water challenges, earning him the esteemed recognition as the Man City Water Hero.

"Thanks to the Magic Bus team; otherwise, all this wouldn't have been possible. Over five years, I juggled these responsibilities while completing my BSc in Zoology in 2019. Currently, I'm preparing for UPSC exams. My goal is to uplift education at India's grassroots and equip every underserved adolescent and youth with the skills needed for a brighter future," expressed Ashutosh.

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