Toilets in Sorolua

We had a great morning in the village of Sorolua, a small village about 45 minutes from Lospalos. Two years ago Clinic Immanuel started a partnership with this village to do health education and some consultation visiting the village monthly for a year and then decreasing frequency. Part of the program included a “healthy home” project and building some toilets. Clinic staff worked with the village chief to figure out how to make the village “open defecation free.” Families that were committed to doing the work (which was all of them!) were provided basic materials: sand, cement, rebar, pipe, toilet seat. The families were responsible to do the work and come up with their own walls and roof. Uniting World of Australia provided the funding and Clinic Immanuel worked with the community and facilitated getting the materials there — not always easy during the rainy season!

Two sided bathroom. Right is a toilet, left side for washing clothes. Notice bamboo pipe coming in on the left. This catches rain water for use in the bathroom. Bamboo walls.

Happy to report that after a relatively short time and a small budget, everyone in the community has a sanitary place to do their business!  We were really happy to see the simple but very effective models the families used for their toilets.  After touring about 6 toilet sites we had a nice closing meeting with the village chief.  It was a great exercise in grassroots community development with the Clinic, community and international partners working together to improve health and reduce suffering.  Below are a few pictures of the toilets.  Folks came up with some really great bathrooms using local materials for walls and other creative solutions!