Shakira Luhimbo’s Story

Shakira Luhimbo and his family used a neighbour’s toilet at night and the bushes during a day for their ablutions. Flies and cockroaches moved from toilet their home, getting in contact with food and utensils.

“I wish my children not to be getting sick regularly with stomach illness as sometimes I use by last balance for treatments and also they miss classes when they are sick. Even though I had the open toilet, I was comfortable to use at night and during the day we used our neighbour’s toilet but sometimes when visitor come to my home as the head of household I was feeling shy when they need for toilet service”

In early 2024, the DMDO undertook a Community Led Total Sanitation initiative. During this, we engage influencers within communities to lead behavioural change so that community-members like Shakira take it upon themselves to change their sanitation and hygiene practices.

In May 2024, Shakira decided to construct an improved latrine with available local materials and the lowcost SATO pan purchased from a local vendor thanks you the DMDO’s Sanitation Product Supply.

“We thought that good latrines are for rich people and must be built with blocks, iron sheet and sinks, which are costly. But with awareness on benefits, structures and possibilities of using local materials, and accessibility of SATO Pans and cement in our local shops, I was able to use only 50,000TZS (19 USD) and my family worked together to build our latrine... No flies and cockroaches from the toilets are getting in contact with our food and utensils. We are not sharing again the toilet with neighbours, and after getting awareness, it is now a shame to share latrines or to use unimproved latrines with no confidentiality or use the bushes which poses health risks of all village members because of open defecation”

Ill health resulting from open defecation in communities and basic latrines particularly affects children, for whom gastro-enteritis stunts nutrition and growth, with long-term consequences. Disease and malnutrition are two of three identified barriers to prosperity.

DMDO is committed to rolling out its interventions so that more families like Shakira’s can prosper through improved sanitation and hygiene.