Sanitation Project in Bangladesh
To build 50 latrines in rural Bangladesh by July 2022
Partnership
The Rotary Club of Bromsgrove are partnering with the Rotary Club of Uttara to assist in building 50 low-cost sanitary latrines for poor families in rural Bangladesh.
The latrines will be built with the support and under the guidance of the Rotary Club of Uttara. They will also provide training and help with the maintenance of the latrines.
Usage
Each latrine we provide will be shared by 4 families who will be collectively responsible for the care and maintenance of the latrine. So 50 latrines will provide sanitary toilet facilities for 200 families
Why There is a Need
Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities in the world, with over 109 million people, or 75 percent of the population, living in rural areas. Whilst most urban dwellers now have access to a latrine, in some rural areas open defecation is still practised as the villagers have no toilet facilities at all.
A study by the World Bank stated that only 37% of the available latrines were hygienic. In light of this report the government developed a National Sanitation Strategy in 2005 to promote the concept of a hygienic latrine with the intention that people gradually upgrade their infrastructure. The government in partnership with donors and lending agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank is investing hugely, but being a country of 160 million people their efforts are not enough and 16 years later many people in rural areas are still without access to an hygienic latrine.
The Rotary Club of Uttara has previously built a number of latrines and they have had a lot of positive feedback particularly from women. A number of women have commented that the women and the girls in the village had had to wait until nightfall before they could relieve themselves because the only place available to them was an open field.
The latrines will make a huge positive impact on these women's daily lives and also on their health.
The latrines are designed to be environmentally friendly, composting the waste for later use as fertilizer on the fields. They do not require connection to a sewer system.
Targets
Our aim is to build 50 latrines by July 2022
So far we have had the following donations:
| Donation By | No. of Latrines |
|---|---|
| Rotary Club of Bromsgrove | 7 |
| Rawshan dot org | 1 |
| Maekong Thai | 2 |
| Total | 10 |
Building a Latrine
Each latrine costs just $135 and each one will make an immeasurable difference to 4 families.
Materials are purchased by the Rotary Club of Uttara and delivered to the construction site. Skilled construction workers are employed to help with the construction of the latrines with most of the labour being provided by local people.
Each latrine takes around 2 days to complete, requires minimal maintenance and will last for many many years.
Donations
If you would like to donate any amount or fund raise for this worthwhile cause please contact our Club Secretary