By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, February 8, Mana: At Chitunda Primary School in the heart of Mchinji, in the area of Senior Chief Mduwa, attention is drawn to the toilets.

A unique feature of the toilets is that most of them have collapsed or are leaning towards one side, posing a constant risk of collapse.

The school, which opened its doors in 1989, has long grappled with collapsed toilets, posing a serious hazard to the numerous learners who move around the premises daily.

Deputy head teacher Benson Friday vividly describes the challenges, stating: "In a quest to improve hygiene and sanitation, the old toilets are compromising everything."

Initially covered with trees and later replaced with concrete slabs, the school's toilets succumbed to the persistent issue of waterlogging, rendering them unsuitable for pit latrines.

However, the dire situation changed with the intervention of the Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Resilience and Transformation (TRANSFORM) programme under the wings of Assemblies of God Care (AG CARE), coordinated by Norwegian Church Aid and Dan Church Aid (NCA/DCA).

This life-changing initiative has ushered in a new era, replacing old problematic toilets with modern, durable alternatives.

AG CARE, through TRANSFORM, has gone further to provide Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, offering sanitation entrepreneur training and deployment.

As a way of promoting acceptable health practices, the organization decided to equip artisans with knowledge of constructing modern toilets that conform to good hygiene and sanitation practices both in homes and schools.

One such artisan, Binton Katengeza, hailing from Mtenje Village in T/A Mduwa, underwent training in 2022, returning to his community armed with skills to revolutionise sanitation and hygiene.

After training, he approached the Village Development Committee (VDC), advocating for modern toilets.

Katengeza also introduced the modern toilets called Corbelled or 'Mwamuna apumule' to Chitunda school, transforming the hygiene landscape.

A Corbelled toilet is a type of modern pit latrine that features a unique construction method; instead of a traditional straight-sided pit, the Corbelled toilet has a wider base that gradually tapers upward, resembling an inverted cone.

This design helps distribute weight more evenly and provides stability, reducing the risk of collapse.

Katengeza's journey exemplifies the ripple effect of the TRANSFORM programme as the training empowered him economically, enabling him to start working immediately.

Since then, he has been constructing these toilets, not only transforming lives but also earning a livelihood for himself.

“I have contributed to a number of toilets in this area. I have constructed 25 Corbelled pit latrines that are strong and cannot collapse,” said Katengeza.

Deputy head teacher Friday notes the remarkable shift after the intervention as the toilets have stood against the soil structure, which has seen most other toilets succumb to waterlogging.

"In 2022, an artisan trained by AG CARE introduced himself and modern toilets to the school.

“These toilets have proven to be durable. Modern toilets like Corbelled have not only proven cost-effective but also environmentally friendly, sparing the use of trees,” said Friday.

The availability of inexpensive but durable toilets leads to low cases of open defecation as most families and institutions that attract a lot of people can afford them.

The unavailability of land to construct a pit latrine, coupled with waterlogging, makes community members have toilets with pits that are not deep enough, increasing cases of open defecation.

Mchinji WASH Coordinator Ganizani Chirindanji acknowledges the unique challenges in Mchinji, emphasizing waterlogged areas leading to collapsed pit latrines.

Chirindanji notes that in primary schools, there are many children, so the need to have improved and modern toilets is paramount.

“Corbelled toilets are the recommended improved pit latrines because they take time to get full and are durable,” said Chirindanji.

The introduction of Corbelled toilets has brought relief, offering a recommended solution to improve latrines' durability, especially in schools with high learner numbers.

Chitunda school, with 1,993 learners, aims to satisfy the recommended learner-toilet ratio for safety assurance to parents.

Village head (VH) Matutu expresses delight, particularly in safeguarding children.

"The collapsing of the toilets caused worry for the safety of the children, but with the Corbelled toilet, we know they cannot be harmed,” explained VH Matutu.

The impact of modern toilets extends beyond schools, relieving community members from frequent waterborne diseases.

The proactivity of the artisans to market themselves has made them widely known.

Community members like Paulo Mpenuka and his wife Tiwonge of Kalongola Village, T/A Mduwa, engaged an artisan for their corbelled toilet at home.

The Mpenukas note a positive transformation, saying a significant change is seen compared to when they were using ordinary pit latrines.

"The diseases that troubled my families are now a thing of the past. My husband can also attend to other economically empowering businesses than thinking of frequently constructing a toilet for us," stated Tiwonge, a mother of two.

The benefits of modern toilets like Corbelled go beyond good health, emanating from improved sanitation and hygiene, to environmental care through tree preservation.

Testimonies affirm that trees are being saved as they are no longer in use for toilet construction.

AG CARE's reach extends to 5,160 farmers in Mchinji, implementing the micro-investments component under the TRANSFORM programme in EPAs of Mikundi, Mkanda, Chioshya, and Kazyozyo.

Programme Manager Takondwa Phanga outlines the multifaceted approach.

“The micro-investment component we are implementing also includes providing safe water, promoting hygiene, and ensuring good nutrition. This involves constructing shallow wells equipped with hand pumps, rehabilitating boreholes, and training artisans to build modern toilets,” said Phanga.

In addition to helping farmers live healthier lives, securing shallow wells and repairing boreholes has given them access to water for drip irrigation, enabling them to grow crops for a variety of nutritional purposes and economic empowerment.

In the face of collapsed toilets, Mchinji is witnessing a transformative change, not just in schools but across communities.