Sanitation Graveyard - Video Blog
Schools have sadly become graveyards of failed technologies in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Go to many schools and you will see a few disused latrines off in a corner, or a broken handpump at the entrance. This is the result of poor programming and a failure to design school water and sanitation interventions with on-going management as well as operation and maintenance needs in mind. It's sad. These are wasted resources and they undermine children’s ability to fully engage at school. This short video shows a sanitation graveyard at Ayabaraya Primary School in Rwanda.
The video also highlights an alternative. Development agencies kept coming back to Ayabaraya with pit latrines which consistently failed. We are now trying something different – the school clearly can’t manage the latrines themselves as the graveyard visually demonstrates. So let’s not just build another toilet and add to the graveyard. Let’s try something new.
The video shows a new technology BUT most importantly it shows a new management model – the school will pay Rwanda Environment (REC) to keep the latrine functional over time. REC will collect the compost, address technical problems, and work with the school to keep the latrine operational so that these toilets do not fall into disrepair like all the others.
Success will be achieved by new thinking on system management, not by simply building more latrines and hoping that the school gets it right, someday. We will monitor this system (and others in Rwanda) for at least 10 years to let you know whether this latrine breaks the cycle of failure that has plagued Ayabaraya for years.
Comments (7)
david dikro May 21, 2010
i need the powerful prayers of Fatima waters......
Ned Breslin Mar 2, 2010
Thanks for the feedback. I have just returned from India and so I apologise for the delay in responding to your comment Don. It is a bit "Cadillacish" because REC is trying to build something attractive that will last because they have to service it and want to keep the business. As such, they went high end with THEIR money, not ours. Make sense? Great comments and thanks
Claudia Vargas Mar 1, 2010
Ned, thanks for your invitation to your blog. Excellent video to raise awarenness of O&M importance in schools. It will be good to enhance community participation within Water for People monitoring as well.
don howard Feb 22, 2010
http://nedbreslin.tap.waterforpeople.org/blog-archives/sanitation-graveyardNed, is this the model that WFP is using in your projects? It seems somewhat "Cadillacish", ie expensive. The video does a great job of demonstrating the need for school communities to own a project and to have ongoing assistance when things go wrong. Don Howard
Gina Warner Feb 21, 2010
WOW Ned, thank you for inviting me to view this. It is so educational - I am really looking forward to having my kids watch it too. You are doing amazing work! We miss you at Runner's Edge but clearly you have bigger projects right now. All the best,
Gina Warner
snsolwater Feb 21, 2010
Great video blog, Ned! 1 video is worth 1000 photos--really helps SHOW the history, setting, and the challenge..
Aaron Walling Feb 19, 2010
http://www.healingwatersintl.orgNed, thanks again for leading the water sector to a higher level and a stronger commitment to sustainability. You are leading the revolution - definitely stirring up some good thoughts here at Healing Waters Int'l and among many other org's as well. keep thoughts thoughts coming! (as i'm sure you will)
