LIBERIA: WaterAid commanded for championing Sustainable Sanitation
By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – The British charity, WaterAid has been commanded for championing the issue of sustainable sanitation as part of efforts to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalized people in society.
WaterAid Liberia and Sierra Leone continues to prioritize access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene especially in hard-to-reach areas and for marginalized groups.
One of the Disable Friendly Latrines built by WaterAid last year,..still looks good
People living with disabilities or visually impaired are among marginalized groups benefiting from improved WASH access as championed by WaterAid and partners.
WaterAid visions a world where everyone, everywhere has safe water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030.
The vision is been manifested as WaterAid in Liberia and Sierra Leone has over the years been providing water, sanitation and hygiene services across the two countries.
In Liberia, people living with disabilities are commanding WaterAid for especially championing sustainable sanitation, which they describe as improving their health and wellbeing.
They extolled WaterAid for constructing modern latrine facilities, providing for them samitation and hygiene awareness and education and at the same time training them on how to keep their surroundings clean and live healthy.
The commendation comes ahead of World Toilet Day 2015 on November 19. They praise WaterAid for treating them with dignity and respect, ensuring their right to sanitation.
Speaking with a team of WASH journalists Wednesday as part of the continuation of the Exclusive Media Focus on Sanitation, persons with disabilities said WaterAid has restored their dignity by giving them water and sanitation services, especially sustainable sanitation.
They said prior to WaterAid’s intervention in their communities, they had to struggle in search of a place to defecate.
Joyous mood…group photo with users of Disable Friendly Latrine, and United Youth
They explained that they used bushes and unfinished buildings, with the help of someone…something they complained was done without privacy. “We really used to suffer, mainly during the raining season”, they narrated.
They said, many times they sat under heavy rains just to ease themselves and often walked long distances to do open defecation.
They narrated that their sanitation problems ended when WaterAid came to their rescue and constructed modern latrines for them with running water.
“Other community members are also benefiting from latrines constructed by WaterAid”, they told WASH reporters.
“We really want to appreciate WaterAid and the United Youth that helped to transform our lives, they pointed out”.
The Youth and Disable WASH Network is implementing the latrine project on behalf of WaterAid. The Network is also carrying on advocacy activities to ensure the respect and protection of people living with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the disable community is reminding government of its social responsibility to them for the provision of water and sanitation services.
They said, while WaterAid continues to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalized people by improving access to WASH services, it remains the responsibility of the Liberian government to do so.
