The quest began on April 18
th at about 12:30 pm
in the district town of Taji, Ethiopia (about 45 minutes outside of the
capital, Addis Ababa). 5 heroes, whose
life mission is to bring WASH (Water, sanitation and hygiene) to the world, set
off in search of a clean and safe latrine.
Now since they were providing a training at the time to
district government officials (Water, Health, Agriculture, Women and Children,
Economics, etc.) in the district’s administration office, they thought this
adventure would be brief. Walk out the
doors, turn to your right, and the blue building is where you will find…. Some
very dirty, terrible smelling, unswept, unwashed, latrines. Our heroes, just
could not bring themselves to step foot inside this terrible place (except that
is, to take a picture of course).
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| Hey gentlemen, looking for a fun aiming game? first try to find the hole and then try not to spill. |
Not ones to be defeated they jumped upon their sturdy white
steed, the captain (Abate our reliable driver) set off through the town. The heroes enthusiastically and
optimistically stopped at every decent looking formal establishment and asked
to view the latrine. Alas! Throughout
these 5 stops, only one hero was brave enough to face a pathogen infested cave
long enough to relieve himself.
The heroes all looked at each other and at once understood
that this quest was to take them to other lands. They headed out of the district and off
towards the golden fields of the country.
After not too long they spied a traditional latrine on the edge of a
farmer’s field.
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| A typical country home with typically seen piles of harvested hay or grain |
The smoothest talking
hero, complimented the farmers on their latrine and told them that the heroes
had been on a quest to find a perfect traditional latrine such as theirs. Upon receiving permission to enter the
latrine the heroes trepidatiously journeyed across a land that was scattered
with animal skeletons, some with fur still attached.
They found themselves at a
most precarious latrine with a great big turd on the platform. Thoroughly disappointed they traversed safely
back to the patient white steed.
Onward they went! They finally made the brave decision to go
off the beaten track in hopes of hidden treasure. And finally! Far from the main road and deep
into the world of rural Ethiopia scattered with happy children, herds of cows,
and grass huts they found a most clean and private latrine.
The heroes rejoiced! used the very fine latrine,
Complimented the owner profusely, and then set off back the way they came.
This unfortunately is not a special circumstance. Here in Ethiopia, only 21% of people are using
improved sanitation according to the JMP report from 2012. So 1 out of every 5 people have the safety
and the privacy of a decent latrine. 46% of people defecate in the open (so
nearly 1 out of 2 people). That feces is
travelling around the environment on shoes, animals, waterways, hands, etc.
Their water statistic isn’t much better. Only 46% of people have improved water source
(just a quick reminder here that improved does not mean safe, just improved, by
the time it is drunk it could very well be contaminated). So that it is 1 out
of every 2 people.
So that’s why we are working here. To help the 41.5 million people in this
country that still don’t have safe water, get some.
So I ask you today, to love your toilet.
Love from Ethiopia!
