Earthquake Area Development: Household Bathrooms
Toilet & Bathing Facility for Improved Health of Women and Children
Mud plaster over traditional stone and dhijji construction.
W.C. Chamber Households constructing their own latrine and bathing chamber.
Basins are placed outside to encourage hand washing.
The work on latrines and bathing chambers was taken up at the end of April 2008. The severe winter encountered this year made it abundantly clear that without latrines how excruciatingly painful it has been for women and for them to lead a healthy and comfortable life. For the past several decades they have had to do without proper toilet and bathing facilities. For women it has been particularly arduous to seek the privacy of bushes before sunrise and after sunset. The matter was brought into sharp focus when on our request UNICEF teams made visits to Kodar in April 2008. The UNICEF doctors found most children suffering from scabies which is a result of open defecation, unhygienic conditions in their home and surroundings and lack of facilities for washing themselves.
The work of the bathroom chambers was taken up after a great deal of research and it was decided that initially only those households would be considered who were willing to share their bathrooms. Thus, initially 50 names were determined which had to be increased to 60 as the demand for bathrooms increased.
Use of Local Materials
Although initially the plan was to build 100 bathroom chambers and an allocation of Rs. 10,000/bathroom had been made from the budget. However, we worked really hard to bring the price lower so that within the allocation of Rs. 1,000,000 more bathrooms could be built.
While working on details, we explored the possibility of using keekar wood instead of Kael. On discussion with the structural consultants it was found that keekar, which is a fast growing wood, would be equally suitable and could result in lower costs. In order to maintain a lower cost, the detailing of the chambers was carried out to use local stone up to 3’0”, use the local dhijji (wooden cross bracing with infill of stone) for the part above 3’0’. Precautions were taken to fix the dhijji to the stone wall with special bolts, the corners were strengthened with steel mesh. The question of the roof remained a critical issue. We felt that we have to go back to the original ways of making the roof, i.e. with wooden ballies or purlins. This could be done with the left over rounded part of keekar, using what would otherwise become waste. The purlins would be covered with plastic sheets, local leaves with a layer of mud plaster. The inner face of the walls would be plastered with mud plaster mixed with lime and the flooring would be of local stone laid in an irregular pattern. We had already experimented with stone flooring and had found it to be perfectly suitable for this purpose, thus providing comparatively cleaner flooring. I had also laid down that there should be no compromise on sanitary fixtures, which should be of top quality for their lasting value.
After carrying out a considerable amount of research, helped by Brig. Yasub Dogar, Saad Khan, Dr. Afzal and Sohail Mirza, we were able to access details of Salubh double pit latrine. I decided that we should use them particularly since once one pit fills up, it could be used for planting a tree, as I was informed by somebody working in Africa with a similar system. Once all the details were worked out we were well set for beginning construction.
Difficulties
But I was in for a surprise. Since the households were themselves required to carry out excavation and build the masonry walls, there was resistance when many of the households said, they will do the excavation but do not know how to construct the wall.
The commitment for building bathrooms had been with the women. But after holding a meeting with them, I was told that a large number of men were also waiting to discuss the matter.
The men complained that they did not know how to build the masonry walls and we must get it done for them. Similarly, they said that they did not agree to having a timber roof, since they must have g.i. corrugated roofs for the bathrooms.
On both the counts I had to stand firm. First, I said the bathrooms are not be being built by us, but by yourselves. We are there to help you. Secondly, the bathrooms are not for you but for women and children since my commitment was with women of the community. Thirdly, I believe that the wooden roof is perfectly suitable and the construction technique perfectly safe and as such we will not be supplying any g.i. sheets for the roof. In case any of you feel inclined to have it, by all means go ahead and get the g.i. sheet roofs yourself. I also told them, if you cannot construct your stone masonry walls, I am prepared to work along with you and construct the walls myself. Further, I said we are providing all the necessary materials, from stone to wood and bolts, piping for water supply and sewerage pipes for waste disposal along with wcs and basins. I would like to build as many bathrooms as possible and whatever is not essential will not be provided by us so that we could reach out to as many people as we could.
After this discussion, some raised the question of kitchens, which they said were being built for only a small number. I told them we will be building 50 kitchens for the women who have volunteered to contribute 25% of the cost. If any of you are willing to contribute 25% we will be happy to provide the necessary help. Further, I said the kitchens are not being by us but by the women as they have contributed a substantial amount. I suddenly heard which was music to my years, when the agitated men folk suddenly said, they were willing to also contribute.
Emerging Spirit of Self-Reliance
I think we have come a long way with the community which was reluctant to contribute anything at all and are now already fully involved.
The 60 bathroom chambers are spread all over the cluster of villages from one mountain top to another. Although initially the layouts of the bathrooms were done by our staff, but very soon I was able to get the expertise imparted to 3 of the village people. Most of the bathrooms were thus laid out by them. It is my hope that these will be the people who will continue to layout many more bathrooms, not only in the Kodar but in the whole valley.
Most Important Initiative
Out of all the various programmes that we are running, I believe this is the single-most important programme that will have a lasting effect on people’s health and particularly the lives of women. I have decided to place the basin on the outside wall.
The households would prefer to keep the wash hand basins inside the chamber. But I know that once inside there is no guarantee that they will be used for washing hands. Since they are outside, we can always see if hands are being washed.
I have told the women, that we will create a checking squad to ensure that all the children are washing hands all the time. -- Yasmeen Lari