Eight families. Eight latrines. Big changes for 160 people. Its a small community, only about 160 people, but they only had one latrine for everyone, Peace Corps/Senegal Volunteer Jessie Maier said. When the chief of Bankoto, approached her about doing a latrine project she too recognized the need. The majority of people urinated and defecated in the fields surrounding their compounds. Cases of diarrhea were rampant. Jessie wrote a grant and, with the help of Water Charity, assisted Bankoto in building eight latrines (one latrine per family compound) based on an open-source design she researched. Community members did most of the labor. They dug 2x2-meter holes for a mason to reinforce with cement bricks. They added a connection drain that runs laterally from the toilet into the pit to help control mosquitoes. In the last stage, I went to each compound and talked to about the importance of washing hands with soap. We talked about what germs are, how they spread, Jessie said. Then everyone participated in a hand washing demonstration. The kids colored pictures to hang in the latrines as a reminder and we filled rice sacks with sand to set on top of the toilet holes to stop flies. Jessie says Bankoto is excited to make their community cleaner and safer. Well done Jessie, Water Charity and most importantly, Bankoto! Photos by PCV Jessie Maier
Posted on: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 12:10:30 +0000