"We are proud of our latrine"

This is Mrs Nyirakazimana, a farmer who lives with her husband and seven children in Tshoko, North Kivu, DRC.

Here, Mrs Nyirakazimana speaks about the recent community-led total sanitation (CLTS) scheme she has been part of:

We live on a plot that does not belong to us. It belongs to a plantation, so we work every day in the owner’s fields to pay our rent. Before the CLTS training here, we did not understand the importance of building a latrine. I can say that my family, our neighbours and our community all lived amidst the stools and dirt, but we didn’t understand how it was affecting us. 

Today, all of my children know that each time they use the toilet, they must cover the latrine hole and leave it clean. I find that since me and my neighbour have built latrines our children are sick much less than before.

My husband and I make sure that our latrine is clean, both inside and outside. We are proud of our latrine.

This project helped me to discover that the family latrine is extremely important. My family continues to use all the information on hygiene that we learnt. Practically speaking, my children are healthier now than they’ve ever been.

We have benefited from training and awareness of hygiene issues. A number of months ago I built my toilet, and since our training I’ve poured ash inside the toilet hole to reduce odours. Before, the fields were so smelly because we used them openly as our toilet. But now, with new latrines and the use of ash, there are no more smells. I also know now that I should cover the hole so as to reduce the flies inside the latrine. All of my children wash their hands after using the toilet.

Our needs are many, but in priority I believe that clean water is very important for us. Another need is knowledge. My community and our neighbours need to be sensitised more and more so that we’ll grown in our knowledge and understanding of the importance of family latrines.

Toilet Twinner runs length of Britain

Tom, ready to run, with his
Toilet Twinning certificate

Hello toilet twinners of the world and many thanks for this opportunity to guest blog.

My name is Tom and I have chosen Toilet Twinning as one of two charities to support as I run from John O'Groats to Land's End (JOGLE).

Preparations are almost complete and it is now less than 2 weeks until departure. You can follow my progress on my blog: www.tomrunsjogle.com.

With the kind support of those closest to me and inspiration from adventurers such as Rosie Swale-Pope I decided that my ambition would take me the length of the country. I will be running nearly 900 miles over 36 days to complete the JOGLE route.  

My journey will hold untold treats and surprises, and I will no doubt have many moments of physical and mental joy as well as despair to enjoy and endure as I make my way through almost a marathon each day.

I discovered Toilet Twinning a couple of years ago and my own foray into twinning has resulted in our bathroom toilet having a partner in Burundi, delighting our visiting guests with such a simple but rewarding concept.

I am very proud to be running to raise money for Toilet Twinning and I hope that my adventure spurs you on in your own life and helps to renew your support.      

If you like to run or enjoy looking after wayward runners with a cold drink and a kind word as they pass your neighbourhood then get in touch. My route is on the blog, I'd love to see you.

Tom

We'll be following Tom's blog and giving you updates along the way. If you're able to support Tom as he takes on this fantastic challenge, please do get in touch with him and let us know as well. 

Sanitation heroes of the DRC

Community-led sanitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or CLTS in DRC for short, is one of the ways in which Tearfund is working with communities in this war-torn African country.

We heard from Monica Verhaege, Tearfund’s Public Health Advisor in the DRC, about the impact this is having on people's lives.

What’s the DRC like?

The DRC is only one country away from being the worst place on earth in terms of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living. The many-sided war that officially ceased in 2002 claimed over 4 million lives. Sadly, conflict between various armed groups and atrocities against civilians, especially women, continue.

People living in the regions most affected by these armed groups, for example in the Eastern regions of North and South Kivu, live with instability and uncertainty. Yet they are trying to rebuild their lives after the war and develop healthy communities.

Today, few people in DRC have access to basic services, including clean water and sanitation, which poses serious health risks. This is a country where most people don’t live to see their 50^th birthday, and diarrhoea is the second biggest killer.

In 2010 Tearfund’s Disaster Management Team in the DRC launched its pilot CLTS scheme.

What exactly is CLTS?

Community-led total sanitation, or CLTS, is an approach to sanitation that involves the local community and enables them to address sanitation issues themselves. Local materials are used by local people to build their own latrines.

We might think that ‘real aid’ should be paying for and building latrines for communities. Although this might be well-meaning, communities benefit immeasurably more from approaches that empower and involve them than from handouts.

Tshoko, a village of 188 households in North Kivu, is a good example of the two different approaches.

Tshoko is in a chronically insecure area where there is constant rebel movement. A fear of having to flee into the bush combined with the fact that most villagers do not own the land they live on means that people are unwilling to invest in expensive infrastructure, like toilets.

An unused and overgrown
donated latrine slab

As a consequence the nearby fields were the village’s toilets and open defecation was the norm. Latrine slabs had been donated by NGOs in the past to help these villagers. However, with no accompanying health promotion or education, these slabs were left unused and half-buried by weeds.

After Tearfund’s CLTS training, it was as if the entire community experienced a hygiene epiphany. Community members realised they could not lead healthy lives without building latrines.

The community became excited about using the old, unused slabs to build their new latrines. People even walked long distances to areas that weren’t controlled by militias to find materials. They want their village to be a healthy place for their children to live in.  

After CLTS training this family in Tshoko reused an old slab to build their family latrine. 

Monica says: “I have observed a huge hygiene and sanitation awakening that is community driven and spreading like a wildfire across the region. I am inspired by communities that have been devastated by the conflict, but then are motivated to build their own latrines. The communities themselves are the true sanitation heroes in DRC.”

Raising a penny to help others spend one

Fundraising can be a great way to raise awareness about the 2.6 billion people in the world who don’t have loo and to encourage more people to get involved.

If you’d like to hold a fundraising event to twin some toilets, get others twinning or simply give towards improved sanitation, here are some resources and ideas to help you.

Promotional resources

We would love to send you some free Toilet Twinning leaflets to hand out at your event. These come in packs of 25, please contact us through the website if you’d like some.

You can download A3 and A4 posters from our resources page to use at any event.

We have some fetching Flush Away Poverty T-shirts available in small, medium, large and extra-large. If you’d like one of these for your event, please contact us via the website or call on 0845 355 8355.  

Sponsorship

If you’re doing a sponsored event, you can download a sponsorship form from our resources page.

If your friends find it easier to donate online, you can set up a Virgin Giving page and donations will come straight through to Toilet Twinning. Soon you’ll be able to use Just Giving as well.

NB: You will not get Toilet Twinning certificates if you use one of these sites, they are just for those wanting to donate to Toilet Twinning. If you’re raising money to twin toilets please bank the money raised then order your twins online or by post. 

And more…

If you’d like a speaker from Tearfund or Cord to come along to your event, drop us a quick email with some details of what you’re planning and we’ll see what we can do.

Stuck for ideas?

There are loads of different ways you could raise money for Toilet Twinning. Here are just a few:

• Do a sponsored run, kayak, silence or anything else, whilst wearing a Toilet Twinning T-shirt of course
• Host a Toilet Twinning meal and auction - we can send you some framed certificates of loos in Burundi, Cambodia or DR Congo to auction off
• Summer Sizzle BBQ – keep your eyes open for recipes and ideas this summer!

Here are some examples of what other lovely people have done…

2nd Amersham-on-the-Hill Brownies ran a café for the day. At the café they had games, including a human slot machine, crafts and sold chocolates in toilet-shaped boxes. 

A  Mums & Tots Club in Newtownards held a 48-hour sponsored water use. They asked mums to collect small change each time they used water, for example to run a bath for their baby or washed their hands after changing a nappy. 

Last lent students at Regents Theological College ‘Gave away a take away’. They stopped buying take away food or coffee and donated the money saved. These students were lucky(?) enough to have a disconnected toilet they could use as a central collection point. 

1st Celbridge Scouts held two events: a cake sale and bag packing at a local supermarket. 

St Pauls Church in Skelmersdale held a collection with a difference. Instead of passing round a collection plate they used a spare toilet to collect donations.

If you’ve got an event coming up or have photos from one that you ran, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated to Toilet Twinning!

Photocredit: Nick Wilmot / Cord

Loved up loos: Toilet Twinning moves into matchmaking this Valentine’s

Is your toilet down in the dumps this Valentine’s? A loo-ser in love?

Tell us why your loo deserves to be with one of our loo-nely latrines, and if your proposition is the best you'll be twinned with your chosen partner - for free.


Add your propositions as comments underneath, remembering to include the number of the latrine your loo would like to twinned with!

Let us turn this:

Into this:

If your toilet is not currently engaged, we could have the perfect partner in one of these lovely loos:

Latrine number 1

From: DRC

The stern exterior can’t fool us; with a door that can be locked from the outside this the latrine enjoys practical jokes

Loves: Days spent lazing in the sunshine

Hates: Snakes and spiders

Favourite love song: I’ll Stand by Loo, The Pretenders

Latrine number 2

From: DRC

This attractive and well-built latrine pays great attention to detail (note the smartly designed ventilation hole) but knows that looks aren’t everything

Loves: The noise of rain on a tin roof

Hates: Lemon-scented air freshener

Favourite love song: Your Lav is King, Sade 

Latrine number 3

From: Burundi

Shunned in the past for its non-traditional look, this latrine refuses to conform

Loves: Accessorising (especially with bamboo)

Hates: That boring brick look

Favourite love song: Love is a Loo-sing Game, Amy Winehouse

Latrine number 4

From: Burundi

The tousled hair-do hides a stable and dependable latrine that just wants to make someone feel safe and special

Loves: People who sing or whistle in the toilet

Hates: Bad hair days

Favourite love song: I Want to Wash Your Hand, The Beatles

Latrine number 5 

From: Burundi

This latrine likes its privacy and spending one-to-one time with loved ones

Loves: Crafts, patchwork and interior design

Hates: Flies and mosquitoes

Favourite love song: How Deep is Your Lav, The Bee Gees

Let us know why your humble bog would be a match for any of these loos and your toilet could soon be:

 

On Valentine's Day each of these latrines will choose the best proposition - and become a lifetime twin! 

Add your proposition below, remembering to include the number of the latrine you like the look of!

Love through a loo roll

Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a home-made gift, even one made out of old toilet paper tubes. Here are our top 10 loved up loo rolls.

Disclaimer: some of these may be more suited to an activity with your children than a present for your other half, like this cute cupid.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/cardboard-tube-cupid.html

Valentine’s Day seems to have taken on some Christmas traditions for the home with this heart-motif wreath…

http://www.thethriftress.com/2011/01/valentines-day-wreath-tutorial.html

 … and Valentine’s tree decorations (you might notice these are made of paper and not strictly speaking toilet roll, but the principles could easily be adapted).

http://trophyw.blogspot.com/2012/01/just-plain-weird-or-awesome-my-mantel.html

If you’re going to have a Valentine’s tree, you may as well go the whole hog and create a banner...

http://cherishedtreasures-terry.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine-banner-from-tp-rolls.html

… table centrepiece …

http://www.helium.com/items/2054783-easy-valentines-day-centerpieces

… or suncatchers for outside.

http://www.thatartistwoman.org/2011/02/valentine-suncatchers.html

Jewellery is a bog standard Valentine’s Day present and these necklaces will especially appeal to children, who are sure to love making, wearing and giving them.

http://www.filthwizardry.com/2010/02/toilet-roll-tube-valentines-necklaces.html

Make giving chocolates more personal with these decorative holders.

http://clearlyistamp.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/02/sweet-rolls-the-recycled-kind.html

For more skilled committed crafters who really want that personalised touch, turn an old toilet roll tube into a gift tag or pull out card.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/90842108/darling-upcycled-toilet-paper-roll

You can buy this example from etsy.com or have a look here for a guide on how to make your own.

Finally, for the true romantic there’s this mini album – the perfect place to keep your Valentine’s memories.

http://cherishedtreasures-terry.blogspot.com/2011/01/toilet-paper-mini-album-for-valentines.html

Canals, crafts and toilets (of course!)

At Toilet Twinning we have a certain fascination with all things lavatorial and we’re always pleased to hear from anyone else with similar … err … interests.

According to Kate Saffin, a member of Thrupp Canal Cruising Club, boaters share something of our preoccupation with toilets and can discuss them endlessly! It seems that boaters, like many people in developing countries, don’t take their loos for granted.

Based on the South Oxford Canal, this boat club manages a stretch of moorings around the picturesque hamlet of Thrupp. As well as looking after the waterways, the club organises social events and supports a variety of charities, which this year included Toilet Twinning.

The club is twinning a British Waterways service point with a latrine in Burundi. The service point allows boaters to dispose of sewage and refuse, as well as refill their clean water tank. It has recently been refurbished, transforming from a basic brick hole into a tiled installation complete with flush.

Thrupp Canal Cruising Club had a rather sophisticated and creative way of commemorating their new twin – toilet-shaped centrepieces at their annual dinner.

We absolutely love these displays! They were painstakingly created by Jane, who has kindly shared how she made them, allowing you to make your own.

First, select your container, this will form the bowl of your toilet. We’re not able to disclose any brands but after much research and dessert eating, Jane found some lemon cheesecake puddings that come in just the right shaped pot. (These desserts, while tasty, will forever be known as ‘toilet puddings’ in certain circles.)

Use card to create the cistern, before covering with papier-mâché.





Paint your toilets, before adding a flush handle made from matches and foil.

For branding, the Toilet Twinning logo can be glued to the back of the cistern

Finally, add flowers and a candle to finish off your centrepiece.











Many thanks to everyone at the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club for your support!