"Without access to latrines, many women and girls
become ‘prisoners of daylight’, daring to relieve themselves only under
the cover of darkness. Night-time trips to fields or roadsides, however,
can put them at risk of physical attack and sexual violence" Read more here from Unicef

UNICEF New York, 19 November 2014: Lack of toilets dangerous for everyone, UNICEF says: "Slow progress on sanitation and the entrenched practice of open
defecation among millions around the world continue to put children and
their communities at risk", UNICEF warned on World Toilet Day.

 

 

Pick of the Projects

Soroptimist
International of Pune Metro East, India, Medical
Outreach

Proper
toilet facilities are an important service to a community, and
installation often sees a reduction in medical problems. Soroptimists in India
have supported the development of a medical centre that provides for the
villages of Phulgaon and Tulapur for the last 10 years. Through this support
the villages have become more aware of the importance of health, and by
allowing toilets to be built they have recognised the importance of the women
in the villages and their needs. As a consequence, women are safer and have
access to better hygiene and rates
of stomach ailments have reduced.

 

  

Soroptimist
International of Antananarivo Mandrosoa, Madagascar, World Water
Day

Accessing
clean water can be very difficult in the isolated, rural villages of Madagascar
and villagers often do not know about the importance of good sanitation. To
help educate and empower villagers, especially women and girls, Soroptimists in
Madagascar distributed educational posters to schools and district councils.
The posters explained the importance of personal hygiene and toilet cleanliness
to help protect against disease. This is very important as diseases like
malaria and the plague are problems in Madagascar.

SI East London, Project
Dignity, building toilets in India

In a friendship link with SI
Calcutta, SI East London are supporting  Project Dignity – a project to build
toilet and bathing facilities in rural areas in Bengal, India. The club held
a fund-raising event (a pre-loved handbag sale and buffet lunch)  to support the building of toilets and bathing
facilities. The club hopes  to continue to support Project Dignity. The amount raised by means of a
simple sale of goods was amazing; people
were very generous. The event was also very topical as the tragic consequences
of a lack of toilets in rural India had been very recently in the news – people
were obviously very keen to support the project.

 

Soroptimist
International, Union of Norway, Environmental
Projects with Focus on Water

Access to
safe and clean water is a basic human right and a critical part of safe
sanitation. The Norwegian Union supported the renovation of wells in Moldova,
and the installation of hygienic toilet facilities in Moldovan kindergartens,
in collaboration with local clubs. This partnership between Soroptimists in
Norway and Moldova has been very successful. Due to this success, the Norwegian
Union is looking at continuing and expanding the partnership.

SI Leiden,
province of Zuid-Holland,  Netherlands, Girls
Toilets for the Kiwegu school in Kenya

In 2013 the Kiwegu school in Kenya held 387 school girls and 410 school boys, together with 11 male
teachers and 5 female teachers. Fifteen toilets were needed for girls/women; only 6
which were badly maintained were available. School girls often leave school in the fifth or
sixth grade because of the poor sanitary conditions.

 

The
toilets are built to offer female security, and for the purpose of hygienic and
sexual education, thus creating a better and secure way for young women to stay
at school, finish school and pursue higher education. SI Leiden club member is chairwoman of "Tenda Pamoja",Kenya which operates as an umbrella
organization focusing on three objectives:  education, health and local economy.

 

SI Arendal, Norway, Every Little Drop Counts

Beginning in 2008, Arendal Soroptimist club, Norway, has been working on a long
term project in Lushoto, Tanzania. The ‘Every Little Drop Counts’ project aims
to bring clean water to school children in Lushoto and was established in close
cooperation with two Tanzanian women’s organisations, DIANA and NURU.

 

In many places in Africa, the problem is not a lack of rain,
but an inability to collect clean water. This is the case in Lushoto. Rainwater
often ends up on unclean streams and is not stored safely. Through the Every
Little Drop Counts project, special water tanks were installed that harvest
water which falls on the roofs of the schools. The water tanks were donated to
the project by the SUMARIA group, because of the project’s valuable work. By installing
these tanks the water does not get contaminated and now almost 5000 pupils have
clean drinking water.

 

The Arendal Soroptimist Club has sold umbrellas, water
carafes, bath towels and beach bags sewn in Tanzania. All the proceeds go
directly to the project. The Every Little Drop Counts project has really
captured the imagination of communities, and graduates of Arendal High School,
and children attending Birkenlund and Hisøy primary schools have all become
involved in fundraising.

Having access to clean water at school is essential. Without
it children are put at undue health risks, and girls are often the ones expected to
collect water. Simply put, access to clean water is a physical requirement and
human right. Without the Every Little Drop Counts project, 5000 children would
be without safe, clean water for drinking, cleaning and sanitation.