What do you see when you look around your bathroom? If you’re like most people in the United States, you probably see a flushable toilet, a sink with clean running water, and maybe even a shower. However, for the 2 billion people around the world who don’t have access to basic sanitation facilities (such as toilets), this is a dream, not a reality.
In Remolino, 277 people have been living without safe and sanitary bathrooms. Currently, there are only a few makeshift bathrooms available, and many people are forced to go to the bathroom out in the open or in the jungle. Poor sanitation is one of the leading causes of death in developing countries, and has negative impacts on all aspects of life, including education. Many girls in Remolino are forced to miss school during their periods.
This is what a typical bathroom looks like currently.
In May, we reached out to the amazing Humanity and Hope community to help us raise funds to build clean bathrooms in Remolino. Thanks to your generosity and a partnership with Johnson + Johnson, we were able to raise over $63,000 in just 30 hours. We couldn’t have done it without you – and now comes the exciting part!
This week, we are starting to build the bathrooms. Earlier this month, the community decided to do a random draw to determine who would get bathrooms first. To facilitate the building process, Humanity and Hope is hiring 15 people in Remolino to help with the construction of 34 new bathrooms.
This is what the future bathrooms in Remolino will look like.
True to our belief in the agency of the people in our communities, each family will build their own bathroom with the support of H&H and a contractor. We understand that sustainable change only happens when people feel ownership over their situation and circumstances, so we are committed to making that a reality.
Stay tuned for more bathroom updates in the coming months! Once they’re built, we will pipe water into them and hold community seminars on proper sanitation practices.
We are so grateful for your support and excited for the future of Remolino! If you’re interested in coming to see the impact of this work firsthand, be sure to check out our 2019 and 2020 trip dates.