Family Latrines Project - Benin
Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, is a country in West Africa, with Togo on the west, Nigeria on the east and Burkina Faso and Niger on the north. It has a short coastline on the south leading to the Bight of Benin.
About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. The main sources of income are subsistence agriculture and cotton.
Bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever are the primary food and waterborne diseases, and malaria and yellow fever are the primary vectorborne diseases in the country.
This project is being implemented in Bagou, a town and arrondissement in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin.
The project is to construct 50 individual dry-pit latrines for families in the community. Each participant family will contribute the labor to build its own latrine. About 350 people will be served.
The project is being carried out under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Elliot Grochal, together with community delegates.
Project funds from Water Charity and other participants will be used to purchase the materials.
Participants must take part in the accompanying educational component to increase their knowledge about health and hygiene, and thus ensure the success of the project in impacting upon disease.
The participation of Water Charity in this project has now been funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.
Any donations using the Donate button below will go toward additional water and sanitation projects in Benin.
This project has been completed. To read about the conclusion of this project, CLICK HERE.
Conclusion of Family Latrines Project – Benin
This project has been successfully completed, under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Elliot Grochal. To see the history of the project CLICK HERE.
The project was to construct 50 family latrines in Bagou. According to Elliot, all of the latrines were completed in accordance with the specifications.
By way of background, Elliot reports:
Before this project there were a total of 18 latrines for a population of 3,500. Needless to say the village could use many more, but I am confident that this project has set them in the right direction.
Elliot continues:
Two months after starting, we had finished all 50 latrines. All holes were dug at least 5 meters, and now currently nearly all have walls and roofs covering the latrine.
The biggest hump was halfway through when the cement ran out everywhere for 300 km. Once it returned, the price was too high for our budget, so I had to anxiously wait while families grew restless to finish their latrines. Eventually I bargained a workable price from a nearby town, and convinced the mayor to let me borrow his tractor to transport the remaining cement to Bagou. The rest was a piece of cake (wink).
Regarding the impact on the community, Elliot reports:
After having spent two years in this village, I am positive that latrines are the most needed improvement to the population’s well being. It will most likely be difficult to imagine how it is possible for so many people to be living without things as basic as a latrine. All I can say is there is a lot of strength, and stubbornness that allows them to survive.
But after speaking with so many women who spend at least one hour a day walking to and from the outskirts of the village to ‘fertilize the crops’ (most said the walk was 30min and none had bikes to speed up the trip like the men), it was clear that the latrines will not only help with disease and sickness but also serve as a time saving product.
We are grateful to Six Senses Resorts & Spas for providing the funding for this successful project.
