"You will never solve poverty without solving the water and sanitation crisis" Matt Damon
WHAT WE DO
In today's society toilets are still treated as a taboo subject even though they are part of everyone's daily life. This leads not only to a lack of hygiene education but also to an insufficient investment by important stakeholders in safe and clean toilets. Our Organization aims to break the silence and sets sustainable sanitation solutions and awareness raising workshops on top of the Agenda.
FOUNDING HISTORY
"Let's cycle from Berlin to Delhi!"
4 people 10.000 km between Berlin and Delhi 5 months of cycling Our Organization was born from a fundraising effort, involving a bicycle ride from Germany to India in 2012. We got small insights in different cultures and met people we could fill with enthusiasm for our Project. During our tour we were raising fund for the construction of sustainable toilets in Darewadi, a village located in rural Maharashtra. Since this pilot project during which 35 households got access to toilets, we have completed several projects, ranging from providing toilets in villages to sanitation facilities in schools. From what we have learned during our projects in Europe and Asia, we are now ready to roll out our process.
RURAL FRAMEWORK
How we are working in rural areas
Prospecting:
Open up local networks and contact potential partners for the project
Getting an introduction to the village
First visit: Listening to the needs of stakeholders & conceptualizing a study
Second visit: Introducing the involved key stakeholders and the Project, raising awareness & explaining benefits of Composting Toilets
Writing down people expressing interest as they might become early adopters
Third visit: Training day & further awareness raising
Construction & Financing:
Ordering a list of people who expressed interest
Placing an order with local contractors for setup of pre-build toilets (setup of the toilets may or may not involve beneficiaries as this can lead to lower project costs and may create a sense of ownership in the community and a stake in their development)
Financing, reporting & accountability
Inclusion & Empowerment:
Identifying champions & supporters of the idea amongst beneficiaries
train the trainer - graduates from training become ambassadors and can work directly with Non-Water Sanitation in order to help to facilitate solutions for neighboring villages
Controlling & Sustainability Reports:
Follow-Up visits to villages & communities for qualitative and quantitative results analysis
Financing the Composting Toilets:
10%-20% of cost per toilet are covered by the beneficiaries as a deposit
Cooperation with local institutions and organizations
Subsidies from local or national governments
Donations & Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) efforts