Improving the collective latrine equipment (in schools, and health centers) is one of the priorities of the Hydrology and Sanitation Departmental Service of Dogondoutchi and the rural communities concerned,
Having separate girls’ toilets at primary and secondary schools improves their safety and contributes to longer studies.
The project is not limited to building, it is systematically joined with advice on hygiene and training on good use of latrines, aimed at teachers, managing committees, and students.
In healthcare facilities, latrines are a place of privacy for users and staff, and their use reduces open defecation, which is the cause of diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera. In addition, the presence of shower cubicles improves the hygiene and comfort of patients and their families. Here too, the construction of latrines is systematically accompanied by hygiene awareness campaigns and training in the proper use of latrines, aimed at health staff, management committees and users.
In the Dankassari secondary schools
The project aims at providing three Dankassari rural commune secondary schools with girl/boy toilets, in the villages of Nakigaza, Karki Malam, Kadandame, Goubey, Bawada Daji, Rouda Goumandey, Gofawa.
It also aims at encouraging girls (39% of those schools enrolment) to complete their secondary school studies, in a context of frequent early marriages.
Four Secondary schools will be equipped, within a project funded by the Niger State, and four through funding from Rennes Metropole, within its program ‘Progressing toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Dankassari villages’.
In the Dankassari Health Cabins
A grant from Rennes Metropole to AESCD was agreed, upon late in 2018. Three health cabins were fitted out in 2019, with two separate cabins and showers in the villages of Douzou, Saouri-Kaifi, and Bare-Bari. Moreover, the Niger State has created three latrine units in schools in Sabara and Roumboukawa (Soucoucoutane district) thanks to funding from Swiss Aid.
A grant from Rennes Metropole to AESCD funded in 2020 allowed for the equipment of latrines including a shower in the health cabins of the following villages: Gofawa, Kolmey, and Dogontapki.
As for the parallel action financed by the Nigerien State, it consisted of equipping with latrines and water taps three large villages: Kakandamé, Roumouki Kadandamé, and Dangari, when a multivillage AEP was created. The latrines were completed end of January 2021.
In 2021, a new grant from Rennes Metropole to AESCD allowed for supplying the following villages with latrine units fitted out with showers in the following villages’ health facilities: Kaoura Lahama, Maraké Rogo, and Goho. Then the three villages of Tanni, Bawada Dagi, and Fanna were equipped in 2022, thanks to funding coming from AELB.
In 2023-2024, thanks to the support of Rennes Métropole, latrine blocks were installed in the following health centers in the rural commune of Dankassari: the Goubey Maternity Hospital, the Bawada-Guida CSI and the two health centers in Koren-Gabas and Lillato. The main difficulty in carrying out the project arose from the cancellation of the AELB subsidy, which had contributed to the co-financing, reducing the available budget by a quarter. Following negotiations with the Direction Départementale de l’Hydraulique et de l’Assainissement and RAEDD, the selected Saïdou Also company agreed to carry out all the work planned for the four health facilities, despite the drop in funding due to the withdrawal of the AELB.
The planned collective training course could not be scheduled, and on-the-job training was carried out at each of the four sites, during the inspection and acceptance missions, by the team comprising a representative of the DDHA, the Mayor of Dankassari, the Saidou Also company and the RAEDD representative.
As a result of this action, all health facilities in the rural commune of Dankassari are now equipped with latrines. Indeed, since 2019, support from Rennes Métropole and (for the period before 2023) the AELB for sanitation in Dankassari’s health structures has enabled the equipment of a maternity hospital and thirteen health structures. In addition, latrines have been installed in four CSIs and five health huts by other partners (UNICEF, Red Cross, etc.).
In Matankari schools and health centers
In Bagaji’s middle school
Funding by Rennes Metropole and AECIN was approved at he end of 2018, It covered the cost of building another latrine unit in the Bagagi secondary school, which is now provided with a unit for girls and another for boys.
Three further middle schools concerned in 2021
Three units of three latrines each (one for teachers, one for girls, and one for boys) at Doubalma and Soucoucoutane, at Salga in Mantakeri, and Issakitchi in Dogonkiria. Fundings were received from AELBP and Forim, Rennes Metropole, and CEBR.
Interestingly, the building projects were achieved by companies in the Dogondoutchi region and thus contributed to the local economic development.
Three new health facilities to be equipped in 2023-2024
With financial support from AELB, latrines and showers have been installed in three health facilities in Bagagi, Caren Roumbouki (one block of two latrines and one shower) and Matankari (two blocks of two latrines and one shower). The work was entrusted to Saïdou Also.
Awareness-raising campaigns on hygiene and the proper use of latrines were carried out by RAEDD, accompanied by SCOFI (a member of the Ministry of Education, responsible for girls’ education and hygiene).
In the Lycée Kabrin Kabra of Dogondoutchi
Supported by the Departmental Directorate of National Education of Dogondoutchi, the principal of the Kabrin Kabra high school in Dogondoutchi expressed to AECIN the urgent need to increase the number of latrines, which were clearly insufficient in number and little used, particularly by girls due to the lack of cleanliness and privacy. This had a negative impact on their continued studies.
AECIN responded favorably to this request, and thanks to funding from Rennes Métropole (84%) supplemented by its own funds, the renovation of existing latrines and the construction of new latrines at the high school was carried out during the first half of 2023.
The objective was to improve the hygiene conditions of high school girls and boys by providing students with safe latrines in sufficient numbers.
This action consisted of:
- the rehabilitation of two existing blocks of latrines intended for girls and the construction of two new blocks of 3 latrines: one block for the staff and the second for male students.
- an awareness session led by the delegate for the education of girls (SCOFI) and the RAEDD with users, on the proper use of the facilities and on hygiene rules, in particular menstrual hygiene for young girls.
The high school was provided with a brochure “My health and my rights as an adolescent. What I need to know”. The COGES financed the products and equipment for maintaining the latrines.