Nepal Earthquake Low-cost Sanitation Initiative

Dear Friends,

Greetings and thank you very much for your kind support to our safe sanitation initiative for poor households affected by the earthquake in Nepal. We continue to link-up with local organizations in Nepal and deliver this much needed services in coordination with the local organizations, namely the Visionary Youth Initiative Foundation – Nepal and the Alay Nepal which is an organization run by Filipinos residing in Nepal. This reporting period, we introduce the SaTo pan or flapper pan which is an inexpensive innovation designed for poor households in cultures where squatting in using the toilet is a norm. The SaTo pan uses a simple trap door design that forms a water seal at the bottom of a pan set into a cement slab over the pit. The water seal reduces disease transmission by insects, reduces odor and reduces the volume of water needed to flush. The pan is very cheap and can be manufactured locally. It features a counterweight trap door that opens upon rapid addition of small amount of water. The trap retains a small amount of water in the closed position to create a water seal. No change is required in user behavior.

Initially the SaTo pans that we will be using are the pans that we were not able to use in our Typhoon Haiyan response in Leyte. Once we are able to assess acceptability we plan to expand production and promotion of this type of toilet.

Hoping for your continuing support.

Very sincerely yours,

Cora Sayre