BUILDING TOILETS IN
NEPAL
Practical Action embarked on a new journey with its REV project – by raising awareness
among the rural poor and empowering them with information to make right decisions on
proper and basic sanitary issues. REV project chose a documentary on ‘Health and Hygiene’ a
15 min documentary produced by Ankhi Jhyal based on Urlabari, Morang district to raise
awareness on the importance of need for proper sanitation and its advantages aftermath.
More than 70 participants from 11 villages from Gorkha district gathered to watch the
documentary. The 15 min documentary shows a story of a similar village Urlabari in Morang
district where people have benefited from building toilets. Before the toilets were built almost
every household in Urlabari village defecated in the open polluting the environment and the
nearby water source which was used for cooking, cleaning and bathing purpose. The open
defecation caused many children and elderly persons to fall sick creating a strain in their
families’ economic situation. The film shows how the people of Urlabari after receiving
information on the benefits of proper sanitation decided to build toilets on their own making
their village a role model for other villagers.
Similarly, the villagers from Gorkha upon watching the documentary and upon receiving
important information from Rakesh Shrestha, Project Officer, REV, returned back to their
respective villages and shared their concerns. These participants have successfully and
positively influenced their neighbours to build toilets for their own good. Out of 231 HHs in
11 villages, there are now 213 HHs willing to construct low cost toilets whereas 18 HHs
already houses a toilet. The issues raised by the villagers’ deals with technical and financial
ones. REV project personnel and its local implementing partner CCODER briefed the villagers
on the technical details of low cost toilets and demonstrated practically by constructing four
toilets in different parts of the villages. Further, REV provided monetary support to those
families who passed the poverty ranking system conducted by the Community Development
Committee (CDC) 1. The monies supported by Practical Action ranged from NRs. 450 – NRs.
1,2002 depending on their income level.
The villagers in Gorkha district have started the construction process. All of 213 HHs are in the
process of building toilets and are currently busy collecting local materials for construction
purpose. REV project has set a target to build 213 low cost toilets in 11 villages within a period
of two months.
1 The CDC after talking to the villagers on their economic status decides which family is
eligible for what amount. € 1 = NRs. 94 as of Nov 08
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