Ode to a Toilet: The Project Begins

This post will convey the importance of having a propersanitation system and what Uniting Distant Stars intends to do about this in2013. First, let’s identify the role of the toilet as follows:

Ode to a Toilet...

You go by so many names: commode, loo, john, pot, throne, porcelain god,and so on.

You serve a greater purpose by “flushing” away our bacteria-laden wasteto maintain good health.

You allow us to “rest” for little or long while as we contemplate ourto-dos for the day. 

You are often taken for granted by those who are fortunate to have one [ormore] in their home.

You can be designed to convert our waste into fertilizer and evenenergy.

You are a simple device that can be easily maintained with just alittle care.

You need to be honored and recognized for selfless commitment to ouroverall well-being

Here is the “poop”why toilets matter… 

• Approximately 2.6 billion people (37% of theglobal populations) lack a proper toilet.
• Those without a proper sanitation system areforced to openly defecate in areas that can contaminate water leading to thespread of diseases. Note: “one gram of feces may contain 10 million viruses,one million bacteria, 1000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs.”
• Some of these diseases include diarrhea,cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A that can kill approximately 115people in Africa every hour.
• Adequate toilet facilities that are private andseparate improve the attendance rate of school children and the enrollment ofgirls.
• There are many more reason why a propersanitation systems and hygiene standards is necessary for economic and other reasons.

       Source: WHO10 Facts on Sanitation

In 2012, Uniting Distant Stars initiated an adopt-a-schoolproject in Liberia to support the education of approximately 250childrenat the Russ Wood Christian Academy. This commitment is beyond providingbooks and pencils, and includes the overallwell-being of these children. This is why we have taken on as our 2013capital improvement project the replacement of its substandard latrine(see pictures below) with an environmentallyfriendly and sustainable model.

We recently put out a request for toilet models on Facebook andLinkedin. To date we have received five responses from various organizations having WASH (Water,Sanitation, and Hygiene) programs in developing nations. Three have alreadysubmitted their model types and are currently being reviewed. We plan to select thethree models that meet the following criteria:

• Uses no water
• Inexpensive and simple to construct by communitymembers and students from a local trade school.
• Easily maintained and long-lasting
• Appropriate for the Liberia cultural andenvironmental standards 

We will present them to Russ Wood’s schooladministration, and they will select one that is appropriate for theirschool.

We will continue to develop thisproject and provide an update after we have met with the school administration onwhat model they chose. We are still accepting recommendations of model types that meet our statedcriteria. Please submit to info@unitingdistantstars.com.