The Problem. Of the 7 billion people in the world, 2.4bn people don’t use a basic toilet. Almost 1 billion people still defecate in the open without basic sanitation. Over 24 million of Uganda’s 41.5 million people don’t use any basic toilet facility. Likewise, over 40 thousand people in Nebbi district and more than 6,000  people in Alwi sub-county practice open defecation. Open defecation refers to the practice where people excrete their fecal waste open spaces such as  fields, bushes, forests, open water bodies, or other open spaces rather than using the toilet.. Excreta exposed in the open contaminates with disease causing germs the already unsafe drinking water sources many household use. Prolonged period of such bad practices has in part led to high prevalence of intestinal worms (that cost more than $20 to treat per episode). It is also a primary driver of the high school dropout rate among teenage girls when they start menstruating.The primary causes of Open Defecation are: Low household income required to construct a pit latrine; and Limited awareness of the value of a pit latrine as govern focus is on curative health. InterventionThe above situation can be changed. A one-off financial support of (USD 16 = $15 for latrine and $1 for supervision of works, documentation, and preventive health education and advocacy) to a poor household can enable it to construct a simple hygienic latrine using local materials and low cost technology. The rural youths can be hired to construct latrines in their villages thereby enabling them to earn income. Implementation TeamDr. Alfred Lakwo - Executive DirectorPatrick Okwir - Health OfficerBiyala Erick Roy - Project Officer, Community HealthHow your contribution will be usedEach toilet built requires materials and labor. The materials are locally sourced and local youth are employed to construct the toilet and hand washing facility. About the organisation that will oversee the program. The Agency for Accelerated Regional Development (AFARD), headquartered in Nebbi, is a local non-governmental organization formed in July 2000 by sons and daughters of West Nile. It is registered with the National NGO Board, has a 3-year National NGO QuAM Certificate, and is an active member of: Uganda National NGO Forum, PELUM-Uganda Chapter, UWASNET, UNASO, and District NGO Forum in Nebbi, Yumbe, and Moyo Districts. Currently, AFARD: (i) Works in five districts and 25 lower local governments of West Nile – Nebbi, Zombo, Arua, Yumbe, and Moyo and with more than 100,000 people (58% are women); and (ii) Is a Board member of UWASNET a national umbrella coordinating civil society operations in water, sanitation and hygiene sectorAFARD works in 5 strategic impact focus: - Food and Nutrition Security, Economic Security, Health Security, Education security, and good governance security. In line with its health agenda to reduce the disease burden and improve on the labor productivity AFARD delves into:Provision of sustainable access to safe water points through water point construction and setting up a functional community management system; Building peer-to-peer behavior change communication, education, and learning; Promoting Community Sanitation Policing to ensure no open defecation; Collaboration with existing health facilities for community access to biomedical HIV prevention services; Building Post Test Clubs as sustainable community care and support system for people living with HIV and orphans and Vulnerable children. Learn more about AFARD On the Ripple Marketplace you can also shop to support our campaign20% of any purchase on the Ripple Marketplace supports our campaign when you use the Ripple Code: NEBBI  See do good products you can buy at the Ripple Marketplace here

Click here to shop on the Ripple Marketplace and up to 100% of your purchase will help make this awesome project a reality when you use the following Ripple Code at checkout:

NEBBI