A dirty toilet that causes a disease
The basic hygiene condition for a restroom is building a place that is not shared with other neighbors and where there is no contact between human and excretion. However, only 64% of Rwandan people are using this kind of restroom while the remaining 36% which is 4.66 million people have no restrooms to use and are exposed to excretion. Unsanitary restrooms cause waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, which in severe cases can lead to death.
▼Restrooms in the suburbs of Rwanda. The roof and walls were broken and excretion was not properly processed.
60.6% of Niamata residents are living in extreme poverty
60.6% of people of Niamata, Bugesera City in Rwanda where HUMAN IN LOVE has been conducting campaigns are living in extreme poverty.(*Ubudehe Level 1 and Level 2)
They are malnourished, have no knowledge or skills to help them get out of poverty, and are exposed to various infectious and waterborne diseases due to poor hygiene.
[ Bugesera, Rwanda ]
*Ubudehe
The concept that categorizes socio-economic levels of each family. The Rwandan government adopted this concept in 2001 in order to reduce poverty and improve welfare. “Ubudehe” has six levels (Level 1: very poor – Level 6: very rich) based on socio-economic conditions. Those who fall under level 1 and level 2 are categorized as the extremely poor and are entitled to government’s welfare benefits. However, only a few people are actually getting such benefits because of the lack of government budget.
HUMAN IN LOVE decided to build a restroom for them after finding out that it is urgent to make sure extremely poor families can live in a cleaner environment. With the support of the local government of Niamata City, we identified the families in need.
The first restrooms that we decided to build were for four families in Kanaji Niarugati town where *returneesfrom Tanzania were living together. On May 26, we started building restrooms.
[ We visited Kanaji Niarugati town in Niamata ]
*Returnees in Rwanda
People who fled from the Rwandan Massacre (1994. About 800,000 people were slaughtered in a racial war between the Hutu and Tutsi) and returned from neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and Congo. Since they were living as a refugee in other countries for a long time and came back to Rwanda, they have no foundation for a livelihood like a land or house, and are suffering from extreme poverty.
We can prevent a disease by building a restroom
There is some difference between what we think of as a restroom and what is an actual restroom in the suburbs of Rwanda. Since there is no water facility, there is no water or toilet in restrooms in these areas. To build a restroom, we need to dig deep in the ground, put a hole with a diameter of 15cm and put concrete on the top. And then we need to make mud bricks on site, lay the walls with the bricks and plaster the walls. Then we need to pave the floor, put the roof on the top and make a door.
▼ Building a restroom
Compare to a flush toilet, it doesn’t need much materials and the structure itself is simple. Having this kind of restroom is enough to meet basic hygiene conditions and help prevent diseases.
It costs 220,000 won to build one restroom like this. So people who make only an average of 1,000 won a day cannot afford to have this kind of restroom.
”The restroom was too dirty and my neighbors were also using it, so I was always afraid of getting a disease. I was so glad that HUMAN IN LOVE would build a restroom for us, and I was so happy while helping building brick walls and imagining my kids can use a clean restroom. Thank you very much, HUMAN IN LOVE supporters.” -Bijuru Vincent-
”I even made snacks for those who came to build our restroom in the hopes that we can use it as soon as possible. I was using my neighbor’s restroom since I didn’t have any, and it was not easy to go there every time I needed to. I’m so happy that I have no worries like this anymore. -Nirakigage Tereza-
With the spread of the covid-19 virus, Rwanda adopted a strict quarantine policy and now is quite under control. However, many Rwandan people are still exposed to the danger of diseases due to unsanitary restrooms, dirty water and the poor medical system.
