TOILETS FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

By Vinod Moonesinghe, Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 2005

The SARID Tsunami Relief team in Sri Lanka had decided to concentrate their relief efforts on Pothuvil, one of the smaller, hardest hit areas of the worst affected Amparai district on the east coast of Sri Lanka (see FIELD REPORT, January 7, 2005, FIELD REPORT, January 9, 2005 and FIELD REPORT January 20, 2004)

The team then channeled their reconstruction efforts into the needs of local schoolchildren as requested by DIFSO (District Fisheries Solidarity Organisation - managing relief distribution in these communities), the affected people themselves and our donors.

We visited Pothuvil twice in April, on the 2nd and on the 11th, to help with the reconstruction process. On both occasions we left Colombo the previous day and stayed the night in Moneragala.

In Pothuvil on 2nd April, we visited some possible sites for toilets and wells, utilities deemed urgent by the local authorities. One area was for people displaced from Arugam Bay. There we identified a spot for the well.

We then went to confirm the matter with the Medical Officer of Health (MOH). The officer in charge that day informed us that they had now passed the 'emergency' phase of temporary shelter and were going on towards permanent buildings. He wanted large wells, each costing about Rs 300,000 ($ 3,000), constructed. However, he gave us his verbal assent to provide toilets for local schools at their temporary sites.

We met with the Principal of Al Hidaya Primary School who told us that the school currently consists of 7 classes with 180 students in total (compared to 205 before the Tsunami). The old site had been by the sea, and the buildings had been completely destroyed by the tidal wave.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has allegedly promised Rs 44.5 million of UNICEF money to build a new school. However, no funds have been provided for purchasing the 2 acres of land that would be required for the premises. An appropriate piece of land has been identified but will cost Rs 6 million; the residents will have to be moved in other cases.

In the meantime, the school occupies a temporary site on approximately 40 perches of land obtained by the PTA and is housed in tents provided by UNICEF. A plastic water tank, filled by bowsers, provides water. However, there were no toilets, which the Principal asked us to provide.

The Principal also asked for a filing cabinet and tables for the children. There are now plenty of pens, pencils and exercise books, but no cupboard to lock up the documents, and no desks (they do have chairs). The Principal has a very small house and not enough room to keep the documents that were salvaged after the Tsunami.

We purchased building material locally in Pothuvil for two toilets for the school. We also obtained two plastic booths (rather like small versions of Dr Who’s Tardis) and two Asiatic toilet bowls (squatting pans) complete with water traps, in Colombo (where goods are much cheaper).

The toilets were duly constructed on the site.

We had also purchased a sturdy filing cabinet in Colombo, which we handed over to the grateful Principal.

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Images taken on April 11, 2005:

(from top to bottom)

• Alhidaya School after the Tsunami (at old site)

• Alhidaya School old site with children

• Alhidaya School at new, temporary site

• Constructing septic tank for toilets

• Completed toilet septic tank

• Installed teachers' toilet

• Interior of teachers' toilet

• Installing children's toilet (blue) - back view

• Installing children's toilet - front view

• The proud "Baas"es (master workmen)

• Completed school toilets

• Sturdy cabinet for the school

• SARID volunteer Nirosha (a tsunami survivor) hands over cabinet to the Principal

• Jaladeen Square with temporary shelters provided by the (Medecine Sans Frontiéres (MSF).

• Jaladeen Square: Old public toilets.

• Jaladeen Square: Temporary toilets by MSF (compare to those at Alhidaya School).

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Update ...

HOW IS SARID HELPING? more

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SARID extends heartfelt thanks to all who have so generously contributed to the relief effort.

For more information please contact Dr. Janaki Blum 617.492.0764, or Javed Sultan 617.492.6222 ext 11