LIVING WATER INTERNATIONAL: Transforming Sanitation Practices

Mr. Koroma, a local farmer in the Gbongeh community of Sierra Leone, spent most of his life unaware of the dangers posed by open defecation. It had always been the way of life for both young and old in his community. After traveling to more urban areas in his district, Mr. Koroma became one of the few in his community to dig a toilet in his home. However, he did not know how to maintain it, and it became overused and unhygienic over the years. One day he happened upon another community that Living Water Sierra Leone was training about the dangers of open defecation and the benefits of living in a clean and healthy environment. He was so excited that he immediately became a messenger of hygiene reform in his own community. He refurbished his own latrine in accordance with Living Water’s standards and welcomed other community members to use it. He was soon viewed as a leader and organizer in his community. He invited Living Water Sierra Leone to visit his community to help share the transformative information he had learned with other community members. Living Water visited the community to teach residents about sanitation and hygiene and many others began to install their own latrines. Mr. Koroma was amazed by what had been accomplished in his community. He rejoiced and exclaimed, “What a blessing…your hygiene education and intervention transformed my entire community!”