Low-cost Sanitation For Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

Dear Friends,

Greetings and may I warmly thank you for your generous support to our project to provide basic hygiene kits and low-cost latrines to thousands of those affected by the typhoon who has until now no access to sanitary latrines. Most of them especially the very poor resort to defecating in the grasses or defecate in plastic and throw the plastic at night. This is indeed very unhealthy and prone to outbreak of diseases.

This period we focus our effort to conducting behavioral change training among 3 villages and including a total of 120 village leaders and local officials. The training is aimed at changing their behavior and so that they will understand the importance of having and using their toilets. We emphasize the problem of open defecation and the role of flies in spreading human waste to food and person. We also highlight the medical cost associated with being sick because of water and food contamination. We did this via community mapping and simulation exercises. Most of the participants feel shame and disgust about the lack of toilet facilities and the need for all in their village to have toilets.

This behavioral change aspect, is, I may say, what is sorely lacking in other water and sanitation implementors here.

After the training we distributed hygiene kits such as wash and bath soap, toothpaste, toothbrush and sanitary pads to the participants.

Hoping for your continuing support to this very important project. At the moment, the GlobalGiving 100% matching fund for Typhoon Haiyan is still on-going. Your donation will be matched 100% and will enable us to reach-out to more. If you want to donate again, the link is,

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/low-cost-sanitation-for-typhoon-haiyan-survivors/

Very sincerely yours,

Cora Sayre

Dear Friend,

Greetings from Leyte and in this report, may I thank you for your generous donation that enable us to continue with our most important work of preventing the spread of diseases after Typhoon Haiyan devastated Leyte and Samar. The tasks ahead is still daunting but we are very much capable to face challenges. Our formula of being local, staying in tents and barracks during project implementation in order to bring down cost and offer more services, generating local counterparts, engaging local actors and service providers and promoting our work via social media and news links is indeed very effective. We also welcome visitors who want to see our work techniques and finished products.

This reporting period, we have perfected the making of low-cost septic tanks or sub-structure using ferro-cement which is more stronger than poured concrete since the wire mesh are very close to each other. We have trained 74 local masons who will be able to construct and install the tanks wherever the need is. The toilet sub-structure is so far the most problematic in fabricating low-cost toilets but we have done a good job perfecting it.

Again, thanks so much for your generous donation. Advance Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year  to you, your family and loved ones.

Very sincerely yours,

Cora