Who cares about toilets? The 3.6 billion people who don’t have access to one. You’ve likely heard the statistic that 1 in 3 people globally does not have access to a toilet. WAOImpact has set out to help people, change lives and make an impact on a global scale.
Establish a Relationship
The Social Service Volunteer of the region communicated the need for toilets within a remote area of Haputhale, Sri Lanka. WAOImpact responded and we were introduced to several low-income families. We started by finding an appropriate family in the area that could use a toilet. ‘Appropriate’ here means that they have enough space in their house, the number of people living within the house taking special note of women, elderly and sickly people, and the living standards of these families.
We then met with the family and talked about their needs. We would identify what the community needs were and why we were there. Working with the Social Service Volunteer based in the region, a plan and timeline were decided on. We walked the family through the process of how we would proceed to build the toilet. The Social Service Volunteer was available for any questions or concerns that the family may have.
Building a Toilet
During the initial visit, we visited the local hardware store to get the materials required for the project. The hardware store agreed to sell the building materials at a subsidised rate because it was for a community betterment project.
The family that was selected to receive the toilet was able to assist with the labour of the project. We recognized that the father had the skills required to build the toilet as well as the willingness to be involved in the improvement of his house. We worked with the family to identify the best location for the installation, plans were drawn up and the project was able to commence.
During the installation of the project, there was a small delay due to a family member falling sick. One of the children was not able to talk or walk due to a germ infection highlighting the intense need for the toilet.
The project was completed under budget due to the cost savings of the father assisting with the labour and the hardware store giving discounts on the materials. The rest of the funds were gifted to the family to assist with the medical expenses of the sick child.
The family and the Social Service Volunteer expressed their sincere gratitude to WAOImpact and the difference it has made in the life of this family.
Reasons to Care about Toilets
Toilets are crucial for the healthy development of people, especially children. Sanitation plays a huge role in our daily lives as we need to relieve ourselves, but we also need to maintain good hygiene through the safe disposal of human waste.
🦠 Improved Hygiene – Poor sanitation can be deadly. The World Health Organisation estimates that with proper sanitation over 840,000 deaths from diarrheal diseases could be averted.
👍 Increased Confidence & Dignity – Having a toilet within your home gives your family the opportunity to become more confident when it comes to taking care of their personal hygiene. They are less likely to miss school or work because of poor hygiene, and they can become more active in their community. Additionally, children are able to let go of the fear of falling into a pit, and women don’t need to fear being attacked in a public restroom.
📗 Increased Education – Children are more likely to remain in school when they are able to access bathrooms and toilets. Many young girls are forced to drop out of school when they begin menstruating because they don’t have access to toilets.
🚽 Increased Sanitation – When people have a toilet in their home, they are more likely to use that toilet, which means that they are practising proper sanitation. This means that they are not defecating in the open, which can lead to health complications.
Where Can I Donate to Toilets?
Many developing countries don’t have access to proper toilets, which is why you should consider donating to projects that provide toilets for schools, communities and families. The best place to start is by looking on the internet for charities that you believe in and that are working in that particular country. You can also contact local organizations to see if they can direct you to a charity that works in your area. WAOImpact also has contacts in Sri Lanka and is able to help find and facilitate these projects.
When you make a donation, you can rest assured that it will make a difference. If a person in Sri Lanka doesn’t have access to a toilet, that person’s life will be impacted in an immeasurable way. With your donations, we can help make a difference in the lives of people all over the world.
Final Thoughts
Toilets are a basic human right. They are an important part of modern life, and they should be accessible to everyone. One in three people doesn’t have a toilet in their home, which means that they go to a public toilet or wait until their turn to use a shared toilet. This can lead to disease, infection, and poor hygiene. It is also difficult for someone to take care of young children if they don’t have access to a toilet.
This project helped to build a toilet for a family in a remote area of Sri Lanka so that they would have a safe and sanitary place to go when they needed to go.
The 3.6 billion people who don’t have access to toilets need your help. You can make a difference by donating to projects that provide toilets and educating people about the importance of sanitation.