Safe Sanitation for students

Goals overview

See detailed project description for more goals

Current status

The state university of Urgench (UrSU) is devoted to teaching and research in the areas of natural sciences, economy, languages, and mathematics and has about 10000 students. The current state of the latrine sanitation at the university severely unhygienic caused by overloaded pits and blocked sewage system. In particular for the female students the current state of sanitation pose a health risk and touch their dignity negatively.
The university posed to WECF and partner the request for financial and technical support for the implementation of a urine diverting dry toilet facility.

Project plan

The construction of the single vault urine diverting dry toilet facility with 4 restrooms and urinals for male, 10 for the female students and hand-wash basins will be applied.
The faecal matter being collected in the toilet building, which than will be safely transported for sanitizing purposes to a special composting site. The urine being collected in reservoirs, will be transported and stored and sanitised at the agricultural research area of the university. The sanitised toilet products will be reused on the agricultural research fields of the university.
Except the urine diverting squatting slabs, all materials for the construction can be found locally. Partly second hand bricks organised by the director of the UrSU will be used.
The construction will be carried out with support of the university and WECF by a local firm. Partner and university will take care for the education on hygiene and sanitation of the students.

Other goals:

-The reuse of the sanitized excreta and compost will contribute to an increased food or cotton production.
-The students and decision maker will learn, how even without using water for flushing, or sewage system a safe and affordable sanitation can be realized.
-The project will serve as an example for safe management of human excreta and reuse in the agriculture.
-Research on the reuse of excreta will be done by the agricultural/environmental section of the university.
-The project will increase the dignity of the students.
-The project will contribute to a safe and hygienic environment at the area and the surroundings of the university.
-The project will be presented on international conferences.

Staff and director of the university are highly motivated to contribute, support and implement this project. Thousands of young people will be reached: not only on educational aspects, but the sanitary condition in their daily life will be improved, and therewith in particular for the female students their health and dignity. The environment will benefit by reduced smell and pollution. The project will contribute in reaching the MDG7 on safe sanitation.