Ecological Sanitation for Schools

N/A

Goals overview

The overal goal is better health and school attendance, by improved access to toilets, which is also linked to hygiene education

Current status

The pit latrines with septic tank are damaged. The pits are full which means very dirty environment with a bad smell and many flies. At 1 out of the 5 schools the urinals are also barely functional, and at 1 out of 5 school there are poor hand washing facilities The overall hygiene education for the pupils is also poor.

Project plan

Planned activities in 3 high and 2 primary schools:
1. Awareness building among community, communication, knowledge sharing
2. Training and skills development.
3. Construction of urine diversion toilets; introduction storage and collection and use of urine and dried fecal matter (see:7 and 8)
4. Advocacy for greater environmental and health control.
5. Construct washing facilities near the ecosan toilets.
6. Ensure to increase facilities to manage the used napkins.
7. Making provision of alternative uses of urine.
8. Proper utilization of faeces as soil conditioner in school gardens.
Publicity and awareness raising are integrated to change behavioural attitudes. The School Management Committee will be trained in hygiene education, access to toilets, and its positive effects on health and school attendance. A School Sanitation Club will follow up on the use of toilets, which will have a positive impact on the community. Training will be provided on this new type of toilets, safe disposal and collection, use of faeces (composted) as conditioner and (diluted) urine as fertilizer in school gardening. Some external capacity might be needed to support the toilet construction.

Ownership: Education from BASA/PA via School Sanitation Clubs to pupils/teachers, and via them to community

maintenance: maintenance costs first year paid by project, afterwards by student fees (via School Management Committees), the Public Health Engineering Department, and the Ministery of Education Underdevelopment Scheme
gender: separate toilets / washing facilities for girls (special awareness)

environment: reuse of urine and faeces (urine-diverting ecological toilets) in school gardening; no water needed for flushing, no pollution of ground and/or surface water