Photo Credit: Forest Woodward
37% of rural Nicaraguans have sanitary facilities. Villagers usually go to the bathroom in the bush, and the resulting fecal contamination spreads diseases. A village water source is vulnerable to contamination without complete latrine coverage in the water project village.
The traditional pit latrine in Nicaragua is a 9 foot lined ventilated improved single pit (VIP) latrine. This usually consists of materials to line the pit (brick or cinderblock), a concrete slab for the floor, a concrete box seat, a steel framed latrine house that can be re-used on a future latrine.For several years, El Porvenir has been piloting a VIP double pit latrine (see design here) and as of 2011 has eliminated the single pit latrine from our portfolio. This will increase the sustainability of these sanitation projects as the family can cycle through the 2 pits. By the time one is full, the second one is safe to empty out. Although they cost a little more, they are more sustainable. El Porvenir supplies materials for the latrine; beneficiary families build their own latrine. The families also contribute a portion of the costs of the materials, either by providing locally available materials like sand or purchasing cement in town. This increases their ownership in the project as well.
El Porvenir continues to explore other sanitation technologies and is currently piloting pour flush latrines and composting latrines.
Impact
- Improve living standards in Nicaragua through lower incidences of sanitation related diseases and mortalities.
- Provide basic human dignity.
- Reduce environmental contamination caused by poor sanitation (human excrement).
- Long term solution to sanitation issue.
El Porvenir receives more requests each year for latrine projects than for water projects, and they are much more expensive than wells. These vital health projects are supported by the community health education staff who teach communities how to keep their latrines clean and well-maintained.
