Potty Perfection

After six months, I finally made it back to Rangamati to check up on The Potty Project. I was a bit nervous as we headed towards the little island where four EcoSan Toilets now stood among the assortment of wobbly of structures seemingly overflowing into the lake. I was reminded of the first time I laid eyes on the island and how it had appeared to me like something out of a cartoon: a little patch of dirt sprouting tin-roofed houses like weeds; a kind of urban chia-pet.

I have long since accepted the fact that the outcome of my efforts might not be all that I dreamed of. But I haven't quite been able to swallow the idea that it might not be all that everyone who supported me dreamed of. And I had two of them in the boat with me: my Mom and Mikes (referred to by everyone here as "Aunty").

So yes, I was nervous. But also excited. This is what taking the development plunge is all about. Trying something, throwing your self into it, believing you can make a difference, drying some poo and and seeing what happens.

I hopped off our boat onto the sandy shore to find two men from the village building a new boat. Further up the shore, people were sewing fishing nets together and working on many of the other things that make daily life in their fishing community possible.I couldn't help but smile when we strolled up to the first potty. It's bright white paint still shone, and it stood solid and square, like a symbol of sanitary hope. 'Didi', the woman who I had met on my very first visit to Jele Para, came out to greet us and was delighted to see me there with my companions. We checked out the toilet, which was very clean, and asked the family how they felt about it. Everyone was delighted, although when asked why, their reasons were often related to how 'sundor' (beautiful) the toilet was, as opposed to the long list of environmental, economic, social and health benefits it was bringing them. But these benefits can take some time to become visible to people, so as long as they are using the toilet and enjoying it, I'm happy.

My roommate, Libby, was also with us and she decided to give it a try. She was duly impressed, particularly with the fact that, in contrast to most latrines, they don't smell. Another benefit to add to the list.

The other three toilets were equally well maintained and the families using them were equally satisfied. More importantly, everyone seemed to be using them correctly. One family has even started growing vegetables, using diluted urine as fertilizer, and were very pleased with the results.

It was truly heart warming to be there, seeing the smiling faces of all of the people that were benefiting from clean, safe, fertilizer-producing toilets. But it was even more heart warming to see how excited my Mom, Mikes and Libby were to see them. They were asking all kinds of questions and were visibly enthusiastic about the solution that they had been a part of (or were about to become a part of - Libby is now hoping to build composting toilets in an orphanage that she is supporting). It made me realize that the one of the challenges to gathering support to fight poverty in far flung corners of the world is that people really need to experience it for themselves. I had written my blog and sent personalized cards to everyone who donated to the Project, with photos of the toilets they had financed and the families who now owned them, but I hadn't been able to generate the level of genuine excitement that the potties and the people themselves were able to do inside of 5 minutes.

Roland, Mikey, Sid, Cruz, Pepe, Laura, Michal, Steve, Ale, Mike, Michelle, Stephane, Spencer, Jen and Granny, I really wish I could bring you all there to see what you have accomplished.

We also visited the other two toilets in Vedvedi, a Chakma community on the mainland. The first toilet we visited had been funded by my Granny, my Mom and myself. It was really special to be there with my Mom and see how proud she was of her contribution. And the second toilet had been supported in part by Mikes, who was also delighted to see where her contribution had ended up. Both the toilets were clean and their owners were very happy with them. Curiously, there had been some problems along the way because the Chakma community do not traditionally lock doors; as a result, one of the two was being regularly (mis)used by neighbours. Call me crazy, but I find this hilarious, and encouraging on many levels.

I ended our Potty Tour in high spirits. I am often conflicted, in my work and my own life, with trying to figure what it means to help. Obviously, it is about a lot more than just giving, but giving is a necessary and complicated part of it. Bangladesh, as well as many other developing countries, is flooded with NGOs, development projects and aid money. It's all there for a good reason, but I sometimes wonder whether what we do is making people more or less capable to move forward on their own. But I felt pretty good about providing these six families with something that will make their lives healthier and happier, and that will provide them with both food security and income that will make their lives better in every way.

My update wouldn't be complete without recognizing the work of SPACE and YPSA, the two NGOs that have implemented the Project on my behalf. Azahar,

the director of SPACE, has not only worked tirelessly to ensure that our six little potties on the other side of the country have flourished, but he has also been a wonderful friend and supporter. He had all of us over for dinner when my Mom and Mikes arrived, his wife presented them with touching (albeit unusual) gifts, he or

ganized our bus tickets to Rangamati for us and even arranged for us to stay at the YPSA office guest house when we couldn't find a hotel (we happened to go to Rangamati over Mother Language Day, one of the busiest holidays of the year). He also - unbeknownst to me - sent Parvez, one of his staff, to Rangamati to accompany us on our Potty Tour. He travelled 8 hours by night bus there and 8 hours by night bus back, the same day. And the staff of the YPSA office in Rangamati visit the toilets regularly to make sure everything is running smoothly. I feel really lucky that the potties are in such good hands. So thank you SPACE, thank you YPSA, and thank you to everyone who made the Potty Project possible through your financial contributions and your moral support.

Yellow is the New Green?

When we got back from Rangamati, someone had forwarded Mikes an article from the NY Times entitled "Yellow is the New Green". It is written by Rose George, whose book "The Big Necessity: The unmentionable world of human waste and why it matters" was given to me by a friend for Christmas, and which I am reading now (out of interest and also because I am now doing some more work on composting sanitation solutions at work). In the article, she talks about a urine diversion toilet (the same model used in the Potty Project) that she visited in China. It seems composting (and biogas) toilets are becoming quite popular in the developing world, which I am delighted to see. I just hope we'll catch on one day!