Women register as pit toilet evacuators in Bauchi
By David D Ayodele, (Bauchi)
A group of women in Misau local government area of Bauchi State have secured registration to operate as pit toilet evacuators as part of effort to promote best hygiene practices within households to check the outbreak of cholera and other water borne related diseases.
The women, now officially registered with Pit toilet Emptying Workers Association Misau will join forty male counterparts who have been trained by Water Aid Nigeria with funding from DP-World on modern solid waste management.
Speaking at a demonstration session in Misau, the spokesman of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Babayo Jarma said the women abandoned political activities and opted for solid waste management business in view of the economic benefit accruing from the sector.
He said while more women have demonstrated passion for the new business, Water Aid has promised to organise special training on solid waste management specifically for women in realization of the role they would play in mobilizing women within households to increase public awareness of hygiene behaviour change and its impact on health and wellbeing of community members.
Also speaking, the spokesman of WaterAid who also doubles as the programme manager of the Women Development Association for Self Sustenance (WODASS), Magaji Barde, said the project, tagged “Increasing Access to sustainable, climate, resilient WASH for women” has recorded remarkable success with the involvement of women in a business dominated by men for decades.
Magaji Barde explained that aside from creating economic empowerment and promoting the dignity of women, the female pit toilet emptiers would educate households for hand washing at critical times, use of clean toilets, water safety, food and menstrual hygiene as well as to promote sanitation as a business which would have impact on socio-economic development of communities.
In their remarks, two of the pit toilet emptiers Aishatu Mohammed and Hafsat Abdu said they were motivated by the support their male counterpart enjoyed from WaterAid and BASEPA, notably the official registration of the group and it’s recognition by the government as well as the training opportunity they would also acquire in the near future.
