ABUJA, Nigeria – In a small rural town in Nigeria, a new product is making unexpected changes in the community. Martin Dewaun Iyo, a carpenter, has invented a ventilated drop hole cover for the latrine, a simple device that takes only one hour to make, but is helping to significantly increase sanitation and hygiene standards. In 2011, Mr. Iyo’s village, Iorpuu, began participating in the SHAWN project, a community-led total sanitation initiative. The SHAWN project, facilitated by the Nigerian government and UNICEF, and funded by UKAID, helps families to build their own latrine using local materials and educates them about basic hygiene and sanitation practices.
The project was launched in 2010 and aims to promote and sustain the adoption of basic hygiene practices and access to safe water in rural regions of Nigeria. As a result, the community has now been labeled as “open defecation free” and the number of these in Nigeria has grown from just 15 to over 4,500 in the last five years.
However, these villages still faced a problem because women were refusing to use the latrines. Each latrine has a cover made of wood or plastic, and while this prevents flies and cockroaches from entering, and therefore stops the spread of diseases, the cover emits and captures hot air, leading women to voice concerns about contracting infections.
That’s where Mr. Iyo’s invention comes in. He has created a cover through which air can escape, but that also prevents flies and cockroaches from entering. Initially, he was using iron net, but upon the discovery that the netting was rusted, he switched to plastic. He sells the device for the equivalent of $2.50. Inventions such as Mr. Iyo’s are vital in a country where only 31% of people have access to improved sanitation facilities. However, community-based projects such as SHAWN are essential in these rural areas, and are helping villages to prevent the spread of diseases like diarrhea.
Euphemia Pever Ngusee, a mother living in the village of Iorpuu, said of Mr. Iyo’s cover, “Since this new innovation, flies no longer get to the faeces and contaminate the food, and we save the money of having to take children to the hospital.” It may be a simple contraption, but Mr. Iyo’s cover is helping to save lives in rural communities.
– Chloe Isacke
Source: UNICEF UKAID
Photo: World Bank Blogs