We all know how essential toilets are for sanitation, but I bet you never thought that the simple toilet can improve education, women’s safety and the ability to grow food did you?
Me and Nicki from the Design Team had the pleasure of meeting Wherever the Need’s co-founder, David Crossweller, just over a week ago. What he told us about their work was so inspiring that we decided we had to get them involved with our new window about washing your hands. Wherever the Need (WTN) work with local charities in India, Sierra Leone and Kenya to improve hygiene standards, sanitation and access to clean water. They train communities to build toilets, wells and water collection points, as well as teaching good hygiene practices.
One of their main projects is to provide special ‘Eco San’ toilets which turn ‘waste’ (or as David prefers to call it, ‘resource’) in to germ-free compost and fertiliser. These toilets not only improve sanitation but also enhance self-respect and dignity by providing privacy and help people to feed themselves. It really is a fantastic invention.
Millions of people in the world don’t have access to a toilet, besides the severe health risks, it can also impact education. When there are no toilets mothers keep their girls home when they are menstruating which means they miss a week of school every month. WTN helped to provide toilets for a community in India and set up a link with a women’s co-operative which makes sanitary towels and now the school attendance has greatly improved.
Privacy and safety is another issue. For the millions of girls and women who don’t have access to a toilet, there is only one option – to go outside instead. For privacy, they usually choose just before sunrise and just after sunset to relieve themselves, which happens to be the time of greatest risk of being bitten by a scorpion, snake or spider – or being attacked. Toilets save lives, in more ways than one!
To find out more about Wherever the Need, please visit their website:
http://www.wherevertheneed.org.uk
Also, take a look at their Dinners for Dignity campaign; you just simply need to do organise a meal and invite all your friends to come along and make a donation towards WTN’s work. Read all about it here:
http://www.wherevertheneed.org.uk/dignity.htm
6,000 people a day die as a result of poor hygiene, inadequate sanitation and unsafe water. Please help if you can.
Sophie xx
