She peeked around the corner of her simple, mud-walled home in rural western Uganda, eyes inquisitive and engaging, albeit timid. She was twelve, one of three children of a single mother trying to make ends meet and provide for her family.
“Did you see our latrine?” she said in near-perfect English.
I did. It was what we had come to see. Prior to their engagement with Water For People, she and her family had gone - like 90% of the other villagers - without any real sanitation in their lives. Open defecation was generally the norm in the area, and simple outhouses - often leaching their effluvia into nearby waterways - were a luxury. But not her family: her mother had made an investment in a special latrine that, when used properly, would not only improve local hygiene, but also provide safe fertilizer to be sold at market. A small step toward building a better life and better financial security.
Did you know that globally, some 4.2 billion (yes, BILLION) people lack access to a toilet?
Let’s help change that.
Today is World Toilet Day, and while not perhaps the most romantic of days to celebrate, it is one of the most important. I just made a donation to support the work of Water For People; will you join me?
Visit https://www.waterforpeople.org/toilet/ to hear a message from @joe_gatto, learn more, make a donation, and help create change on this WorldToiletDay. Thanks!
