This project will build 6 toilets for Upendo orphans in Kilifi. Upendo Methodist CBO runs a school (commercial entity) and an orphans' project (charity that supports orphaned children through school in Kilifi). Both the orphans' project and the school do not have a single toilet on their premises and use the Kilifi Methodist Church toilet block. The two projects started their operations at the church and the toilet block was built by the orphans' project and has been in use for over 15 years.
Over half of primary schools in developing countries don't have proper sanitation facilities. The World Health Organization recommends a pupil-toilet ratio of 1:30 for boys and 1:25 toilets for girls. The church's toilet block has 5 toilets which are shared amongst at least 300 people: students, staff, church officials and congregants. Upendo Children spend more than 90% of their time at the project and a lack of access to toilets poses a huge barrier to education and safety of children.
Toilets in schools are as important as books. The construction of a toilet block for the orphans and also more than 200 students at the Upendo school will ease the congestion on the church toilet block and also ensure that we meet the required minimum number of toilets as per the Ministry of Health guidelines. Toilets are crucial for the healthy development of people, not to mention children and a lack of access to toilets can seriously interfere with children's education.
The construction of the toilet block will promote good health of the students and staff at Upendo. This is significant because it will provide a healthy environment where students and staff can live free from the risk of infection from contagious diseases. Having access to clean water and toilets means that students can spend more time in class and in school. This will also promote good hygiene practices amongst the students.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
