On Friday, the 17 of February, the Foundation handed over a brand-new ablution block to Hlahlindlela Secondary School in KwaGcolosi, Durban, donated by Sasria SOC Limited. The construction of ablution facilities is critical in schools such as Hlahlindlela, which have pit toilets, dilapidated ablution facilities. The Department of Basic Education has reported that over 10 000 new ablutions facilities are needed across the country to eradicate pit toilets: as per the Department of Basic Education’s Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative.
These are necessary spaces to provide adequate hygiene and will be vital to ensuring the health of learners. The Foundation focuses on building ablution facilities in all areas, including at schools that do not have access to running water or are not connected to a municipal sewerage line. Through the support of our donors, we have built over 75 ablution facilities in our schools.
The Foundation implements flushing and waterborne systems, but we have had success with the VIP system. The flushing system is Adopt-a-School’s standard brick-and-mortar structure for both male and female learners. The facilities come with plumbing and flushing toilets. In some instances, based on access to services in the community, the Foundation included a borehole and septic tank.
The VIP ablution block implemented at Hlahlindlela will have a huge impact on the educational experiences of 1291 learners. The VIP System is a ventilated improved pit. It is an improvement over the single pit because continuous airflow through the ventilation pipe vents odours and acts as a trap for flies as they escape towards the light. Despite their simplicity, well-designed single VIPs are completely smell-free and more pleasant to use. These are constructed within brick-and-mortar facilities and contain a standard toilet seat.
Through our community-based Infrastructure Model, temporary employment was created for 15 parents and community members, and three small businesses were supported and this is all thanks to our partnership with Sasria SOC Limited.
