Building decent toilets, delivering hygiene training and access to clean water
Community: Northwest Bangladesh
Partner: Nirapod Bangladesh Songstha
76.7 million people in Bangladesh – 46% of the population – don't have access to a clean, safe toilet of their own. It's a basic human right, without a decent toilet disease spreads fast. We’re supporting women, and their families, to build toilets… and improve health and dignity.
Rangpur division, Bangladesh
Can you imagine life without a toilet?
Unbearable. Open defecation contaminates drinking water, increases the risk of harassment and sexual abuse, and reduces school attendance. It leads to diarrhoeal disease and deaths, particularly of children under 5 years.
We’re working across Rangpur division in the northwest, which has the highest rate of open defecation in the country.
Life without a toilet is dirty, dangerous and undignified. Without a toilet people remain trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty.
We aim to:
Provide decent toilets for people without access to a safe, clean facility.
Improve understanding of good hygiene practices, with a focus on supporting women as primary carers.
Inspire the wider community to invest in toilet provision, sharing design and construction techniques.
Break down taboos around toilets – access is a basic human right, affecting every person on the planet.
Raise awareness of the importance of decent toilets, clean water and good hygiene.