Pit Latrines PDF Print E-mail

Improved Health through the use of Pit Latrines

Hygiene, or rather the lack of it, is a primary issue Rids-Nepal faces in its work. Some 4 years ago in none of the 16 remote mountain villages where RIDS-Nepal works (with a population of approx. 8'000), there were no latrines or toilets of any kind to be found. It was just not known. People defecated all over the place, especially along the footpaths. As you can imagine, it's not just unpleasant using these paths, but much more we were concerned about how hazardous it was for the health of the people, especially the children. Diarrhea, Worms and Hepatitis are uncontrolled in these villages.

Through the RIDS-Nepal Non Formal Education (NFE) literacy classes, RIDS-Nepal began in 1998 to deal with topics such as hygiene, cleanliness, the use of toilets, etc. Through this gradual awareness raising, people began to see the need for toilets and the steps they needed to make to take some kind of action.

 hygine

RIDS-Nepal then held several 3 day courses in different villages on how to build a pit latrine for themselves. If the participants built a latrine according to the required health standards outlined in the course, they can purchase the RIDS-Nepal developed smokeless metal stove with 50% financial subsidy (2'000 NRs, or 28 US$).
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Thus in the fiscal year July 1999 to July 2000 RIDS-Nepal was able to give to 505 families in our working areas as well as in some villages around the Jumla bazaar, a smokeless stove at a subsidised rate. There is still lots to be done, the awareness and understanding about the need to build and use a Pit Latrine is growing. RIDS-Nepal has evaluated the Pit Latrines built so far, and has come up with an improved Pit Latrine system. With the addition of an HDP pipe over the pit hole behind the Pit Latrine, with a fly screen on top, and inside the Pit Latrine a "sliding" board , the amount of flies can be drastically reduced. Also the smell, which was the main hindrances why mainly women did not use the Pit Latrines more frequently, is reduced.

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Improved Pit Latrine with a pit hole and air pipe for a school. Two pit hole system with sliding boards.
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A two pit hole system for the improved latrine for the school provides every year fertilizer and keeps the latrine functional for years to come. The pit hole is beside the latrine, thus an HDP pipe for air ventilation can be included. Better air in the Toilet.

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Because of these improvements people start to use the Pit Latrine more, and with less possibilities to fall sick. If you want any more information please get in touch with us. Our email address: azahnd@rids-nepal.org