Embracing Change Through Transformation in Mchinji
WASH coordinator for Mchinji district, Ganizani Chirindanji, said the initiative has helped fight open defecation.
MCHINJI, Malawi- Community members in Mchinji have described a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project that constructed modern pit latrine toilets dubbed "corbelled" as a game changer for hygiene, writes Judgement Katika.
The toilets are part of a WASH project called Sustainable Food System for Rural Agriculture and Resilience (TRANSFORM) implemented by Norwegian Church Aid and Dan Church Aid in partnership with Assemblies of God Care (AG-CARE) in the district.
"We used to have toilets that were not environmentally friendly due to the trees that were used to construct the toilets," said Benson Friday, deputy headteacher at Chitunda Primary School.
"As you can see, since 2022 up until now this toilet is still here and still operational. We expect it to last for a very long time since we reached the water table when digging."
WASH coordinator for Mchinji district, Ganizani Chirindanji, said the initiative has helped fight open defecation.
"There is increased sanitation coverage for the district. The project aims to have more households with latrines, hence fighting open defecation," he said.
Chirindanji said people are now more aware of the need to wash hands after using the toilets as the new facilities encourage that.
"This is a game changer for hygiene," Friday said.
However, management has urged everyone to embrace the change that has been brought by the Transform project.