A third of the world’s population are suffering from a sanitation crisis [1]. Whilst most would consider it a basic human right, 2 billion people do not have access to a safe toilet or clean water [2]. The result? 50% of all beds in the developing world filled with individuals unwell because of diarrhoea-related diseases [3].
As a global leader in the manufacturing and supply of toileting products, Vernacare firmly believes that everyone should have access to a sanitary toilet; protecting individual’s dignity and fighting the spread of infection. We are therefore delighted to announce that we will be sponsoring Toilet Twinning as it pursues its core mission of ensuring universal access to sanitation and ‘safely managed’ water, as outlined in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals4. Funds raised for Toilet Twinning help support families, communities and schools in poor areas, enabling them to build basic toilets, access clean water and learn about the importance of hygiene.
The charity’s holistic approach emphasises education, facilitating a process through which individuals are empowered to make changes happen for themselves. With a focus on sustainability, Toilet Twinning educate people on the need for improved sanitation, helping communities understand the link between practices such as open defecation and ill health [5]. The charity encourages local people to be involved in all stages of the process, offering support, guidance and the materials necessary for local people to build their own toilets and install their own water pumps. In this way communities have ‘ownership’ of their toilet and understand the importance of continuing to use and maintain it [5].
Vernacare’s fundraising efforts will directly support projects in poor schools, providing students and teachers with a safe and hygienic place to use the toilet. Currently, illnesses related to dirty water and poor sanitation are responsible for 443 million school days missed each year [6]. This problem is perpetuated for the 620 million children that don’t have access to safe toilets at school and are instead forced to use pits or go in the open [6]. All children in this situation are affected, but for adolescent girls the effects are often even more significant. Many have no choice but to miss school when they are on their periods and some are forced to leave school altogether, as they are required to collect water for their family [7]. This can further perpetuate longstanding gender disparity and fuel the perception of women as less valuable in society.
Ensuring that children complete their education is crucial to a country’s development. Vernacare are committed to supporting Toilet Twinning address this problem, providing equitable quality education for everyone. A safe toilet and clean water can help remove children from a cycle of ill health, allowing them to complete a full education and in turn change their future economic situation [7]. For young women who remain in school, this can transform their future prospects, give them a voice with which they can contribute to their community and subsequently change perceptions for future generations [8].
At Vernacare our vision is simple: Reducing Risk. Enhancing Dignity. We are thrilled to be supporting a charity that values these same core beliefs. Toilet Twinning’s projects are effecting a tremendous amount of positive change for impoverished communities. We have so many exciting fundraising events planned for the next year and can’t wait to support the charity’s work, reducing infection and restoring dignity in more communities around the world.
References:
- https://www.toilettwinning.org/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation
- https://vimeo.com/260745977
- https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/
- https://www.toilettwinning.org/our-approach/
- https://www.toilettwinning.org/what-we-do/
- https://washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/World%20Toilet%20Day%20Report%202018.pdf
- https://www.toilettwinning.org/2018/11/01/why-women-and-girls-are-desperate-for-the-toilet/
The Vernacare website contains a video that explains more about theproject: