By Esther K. Bitrus with photo credits: Debbie Macaulay
Furaka Community is located at the outskirts of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, in Northern Nigeria. It is a typically rocky area from where streams take their source and waterways flow downhill. The community has approximately 500 households, with a population of about 3,000. A good number of residents are women and girls, who have to combine their daily chores with a search for water. This obviously has adverse effects on their physical, educational, economic, and social life.
Most of the houses in Furaka Community lack essential Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, despite being within the catchment area of the Lamingo Dam, one of the major reservoirs for water service providers in Plateau state. A case of water everywhere but none to drink.
Open defecation is a common practice in Furaka, due to the rocky terrain, which makes the construction of toilets a hard and expensive task, coupled with the current absence of adequate water supply for domestic use. As more houses spring up, it is common practice to see people ducking behind rocks in order to relieve themselves of their bowel burdens.
An elderly woman was once sighted sitting over a crack between rocks to serve as a sitter for ease of doing the shit business. This is so undignified and embarrassing. The practice of Open Defecation in upstream communities like Furaka results in air, surface, and underground water contamination; consequently putting residents and the downstream communities at risk of life-threatening diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and diarrhea.
In line with SDG 6: Achieve access to adequate and equitable Sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations by 2030, all communities irrespective of their physical nature should not be left behind in the efforts to eradicate open defecation
Development partners, as is their practice, would do well to consider communities like Furaka for some form of intervention that will equip them with relevant techniques and affordable toilet models that would serve their peculiar needs. An intervention of this nature will alleviate the plight of the aged and other vulnerable groups; thereby uplifting the quality of life of residents, safeguarding adjoining communities, promoting healthy living, and dignifying the people.
Well written. The hygiene needs of the people should be a source of concern to any government but the reverse is the case. This particular case is pathetic as the community is close to a major dam that serves a lot of residents of the city. An outbreak of water borne diseases will be difficult to curtail with the sorry state of the health and emergency facilities.
This call for actions from all actors. Media can also help draw the attention of the govt to this time bomb waiting to explode. It is the electioneering season and any serious govt can see a strategic opportunity to get votes.
Very well done Madam Esther
Succinct. Hoping the community gets intervention that will help curb open defecation.