How often do you think about your toilet? Or your sink?
Do you only consider soap when you are running low? Today is globally
recognized by the UN as World Toilet Day, a day when
we recognize this critical convenience that often gets overlooked.
Around 60% of the world’s population – 4.5 billion people - either
have no toilet at home or one that doesn't safely manage human waste. And
nearly 900 million people still practice going into fields, forests, open
bodies of water or other spaces instead of using a proper sanitation facility.
This practice carries serious health and safety risks, as contact with human
waste can cause diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, diarrhea,
worm infestation and malnutrition. Every day, more than 700 children
under age 5 — about one every two minutes — die from diarrhea due to unsafe
drinking water, poor sanitation or poor hygiene. [1] Without access to these basic
services, poverty and disease abound. Poor sanitation is also linked to social
and economic issues, along with negative environmental impacts[2].
This
is why we are so thankful for our supporters and volunteer health worker
colleague, Ramprasad (“Ram”), in Nepal! Ram has been one of the biggest
proponents of building latrines in the remote Gorkha region. Ram facilitated a
lot of education and awareness about the importance of using latrines for
safely managing waste and reducing disease, paving the way for community
acceptance and involvement in the building of 25 latrines (and counting)!
Today,
as you drink tap water without fear, wash your hands with soap, or flush your
toilet, we invite you to be mindful of these conveniences that also play a vital
role in healthy living!
[1] https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/saving-lives-one-toilet-time/35145
[2] https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/67/291
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