Giving Life through Latrines

When you think about your bathroom, you don't generally think about it saving your life or preventing disease. But, by keeping human waste contained in toilets (flushing or not), bathrooms save lives. Before October 2010, the Aral community of Northern Kenya did not have even a single latrine. When the rains came, the waste "exited" by contaminating the water source. By building three pit latrines - each with two doors - in the Aral community of Northern Kenya, our African partner Food for the Hungry-Kenya transformed a community.

Wherever they work, one of FH-Kenya's priorities is to engage and educate community members in clean water and sanitation hygiene (WASH). In the Aral community, FH-Kenya specifically trained Paul Lanakapale in educating other community members on the importance of good hygiene and latrine use. Paul reported that the community's attitude toward latrine use has changed a lot over the past few months - to the extent that they are even building their own latrines:

Before, we never used to have latrines and people used to go to the bushes, but these days they have started using the constructed latrines and are appreciative of them and are even constructing for themselves. Already about six have started constructing latrines for themselves using local available materials and this has helped us in improving cleanliness and in preventing diseases because before when it rained the human waste could be washed down to the water points. But now we are safe.

Not only did FH-Kenya build pit latrines, but they also overhauled the whole system around the latrines: providing six hand washing facilities near the latrines and kitchen, rehabilitating the water source with a gravity system, installing a water tank for the community, and laying pipes to connect school tanks to the main water point. It's a privilege to be partnering with FH-Kenya and witness the change a simple bathroom can bring.