Dear All

Last week I was collecting some data regarding sanitation in plot level households in low income urban areas here in Kenya in Kware, Ongata Rongai.

Within a plot, I asked the caretaker (one of the tenants) how many women live in the plot and he said 0. Apparently due to the inadequate sanitation facility in the plot, none of the girlfriends and women wanted to live in the area as they found it disgusting so they went back to their rural villages. “They have all left” he said very sadly.

In addition, the toilet was a traditional pit latrine that was only in one section of the plot and not accessible to the other half .There was a wall that was incorporated at some later point by the landlord but unfortunately he did not feel obligated to construct another toilet on the other half of the plot! Therefore the ones on the other side had to first get out of their “half” plot and then walk to the other half to use the toilet (!)

In addition, there was no roof covering the toilet. Therefore it would be easy for peepers to have a look when one is inside.

There could of course have been other reasons that he did not mention to me but this reminded me of the Indian lady mentioned above by Philipp and Sunder, who left her household because her new husband did not construct a sanitation facility in their homestead! I guess this seems to be happening everywhere “no toilet no bride, or no wife” is definitely not limited to India. Women are standing up for their dignity. I wish though that they could speak up a bit louder!

Best regards

Doreen

Good news:

"Anita Bai Narre of Chichouli village of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh was handed a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh by Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh, on behalf of Sulabh International, for standing up for her dignity on reaching her husband's place and demanding the construction of a toilet.

Anita's courage has changed the picture of her in-law's village (Ratanpur) which is now heading towards cleanliness. Out of its 157 houses, 100 now have toilets — thanks to the bold stand taken by her on her arrival there after her marriage to Shivram Narre in May last year."

Read the article on "The Hindu": www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3013568.ece

Cheers,
Philipp

Bravo, if more people are informed, we could find sustainable solutions. Sadly, in Africa more people have cell phones and yet do not have toilets.

BBC news is providing an interesting article from India:

Read the full article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17022847

"Anita Narre left husband Shivram's home two days after her marriage in May last year because the house had no toilet.
She returned eight days later after Shivram, a daily wage worker, built one with savings and aid from villagers."

She won an award for her brave decision. Congrats!

How do you like her way to get access to a private toilet?

Link to news item on BBCWorld: Newly-wed in a village in Madhya Pradesh, #India, leaves husband's home because it had no toilet t.co/UqczfvrQ

India woman leaves home for lack of toilet
14 February 2012
BBC News