How CLTS+++ galvanizes communal energy towards open defecation free communities in Adamawa
The rustic villages of St Francis Sugu IV and Sugu I communities in Ganye local government of Adamawa State, like other Nigerian villages are contending with myriads of existential challenges, such as dearth of water, poverty, open defecation and living in unhygienic environment etc.
These challenges have made the communities susceptible to a number of preventable ailments like Cholera, typhoid and malaria fever as attested by members of the two communities during interview with our reporter who was on fact finding mission in the two communities.
But the formation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene committee (WASH com) across the various communities is changing the ugly narrative as the communities have formed a vanguard of champions with a keen drive to ensure scourges such as cholera epidemic are completely nipped through the attainment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and enhancing communal hygiene.
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Cholera epidemic has become a yearly occurrence in Adamawa State with the attendant consequences of massive deaths. But through a deliberate effort to contain the ugly tide, UNICEF in partnership with Adamawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) with support from the Netherlands government through the DGIS – ASWA III is working round the clock to ensure the attainment of ODF and enhanced public hygiene practices in the state.
The DGIS ASWA III was an offshoot of DGIS ASWA II a model that has ensured Jada and Guyuk local governments of the state attained ODF status.
The CLTS +++ a renewed drive to ensure community participation, ownership and sustainability of the effort to ensure ODF in two more local governments of Ganye and Shelleng has gained a lot of traction due to its acceptability and implementation by the local residents.
In an interview with our reporter, Dr. Nuhzat Rafique, UNICEF Chief of field office, Bauchi field office, said, after the successful implementation of ASWA III project which led Jada and Guyuk to attained ODF status, the Netherlands government deemed it right to scale up the intervention in two more local governments in the state.
She noted that no fewer than 300 communities will be covered by the ASWA III project adding that at the end of the project Ganye and Shelleng are also expected to attain ODF status.
Rafique added that the experiences and modalities adopted to ensure the ODF in the four local governments will now serve as a model and springboard for the state government to scale up the project across all the 21 local governments of the state to ensure sustainability.
She noted that for optimal results to be obtained, there is the need for behavioral change on the side of the people urging traditional rulers, clerics and leaders of thought to join the advocacy for entrenching a new culture of halting open defecation because of its debilitating consequences.
Also speaking on modalities followed to ensure the workability and success of the CLTS+++ Mr. Gangkuba Jared, the Ganye LG WASH coordinator, said that already the project has triggered CLTS in 150 communities across the local government.
“We are forming WASH com, that is the community that will take care of WASH activities in those communities,” Jared said.
He noted that the WASH com which will take complete ownership of the process that will lead to ODF came about after intensive training on the nuances and rudiments by the UNICEF adding that the WASH com is gender sensitive as about 40 percent of the committee excos are women.
With the training and information which the members of WASH com have accessed, I’m confident they will take charge of ensuring ODF and Hygienic communities.
“Through the trainings, the communities were able to come to terms with the fact that for them to stay free of diseases, they have to stop open defecation and they have now embraced the construction of toilets,” he said.
When asked about the challenges they faced, Jared said initially people thought there was monetary involvement but when they realized there are no monetary gains they relaxed but with consultations, that challenge has become a thing of the past. He also noted that he expects more success after the rainy season as people’s energy is directed more on the farms for now.
Also speaking, the desk officer of ASWA III Aisha Yusuf said the essence of having the WASH com is to ensure sustainability, and to ensure the formation of a community structure that is responsible for the operation and maintenance of wash facilities that will be provided in their communities.
“We are done with the training and we’ve gone ahead to trigger 300 communities in Shelleng and Ganye local governments, targeting 150 communities each. After that, we’ve also trained the local government staff on the formation and training of wash committees in these communities that have been triggered.
“The essence of having these wash committees is to ensure that we have a community structure that is responsible for the operation and maintenance of wash facilities that will be provided in their communities, as well as ensuring that every activity that is implemented is being sustained in that particular community.
“As we all know, the background of every implementation is capacity building.So for both local governments, we have trained 44 local governments Wash Unit staff on community-led total sanitation, sanitation marketing, sanitation financing, and climate resilience approach to the CLTS implementation.
The CLTS approach is a community-driven approach that tends to trigger community members towards realizing the effects of practicing open defecation with a view to taking an action towards eradicating that practice that is a menace to the people living in our communities,” she said.
Yusuf also disclosed that another factor being considered in the implementation of the CLTS is climate change adding that toilets to be constructed have to be strong enough to survive the effects of climate change.
“Climate change is upon us, we know the threats that is already posing. We tried to change our programming a little bit to consider the climate resilient aspect, ensuring that community members construct toilets that are durable.
“Toilets that will withstand the impact of flood and that will also prevent communities from relapsing, especially when they’ve gotten to that stage of becoming an open defecation free communities in the local government,” she said.
Speaking to our reporter, Abdullahi Hayatu, the head of WASH com who doubles as the ward head of Sugu I community said the formation of the committee is one the best things to happen in the community.
“Because of the formation of this committee and the numerous sensitization we received, the community now owns the CLTS. We have already gone into action by removing away the huge refuse deposit in our community and have also built ten climate resilient toilets in the community and seeking to achieve many more in no distant future,” he said.
He noted that initially, the people initiative received the initiative with a pinch of salt but since they begun seeing its importance, they have now fully embraced it.
“Since the beginning of this initiative, we have observed marked difference in the frequency of diseases such as typhoid and malaria fever. This has actually enhanced the acceptability of the initiative and we shall ensure maintaining a top notch hygiene as well as ensuring total stoppage of open defecation due to its overall importance to us,” he said.
He noted that the WASH committee is inclusive as both women and youth are part of it adding that 6 out of the 11 executives are all women. The major challenge we face is serious unavailability of water and on this note we urge the government to provide water in order to compliment our efforts,” he said.
Also speaking, the vice chairperson of St Francis Sugu IV community, Rukayya Idris said the immense benefits are unquantifiable as the initiative has led to serious reduction in the advent of diseases. She thanked the organizers for ensuring that both women and men are coopted into the committee as each one has a unique role to play.
She noted that in St Francis Sugu IV, WASH com consists of 6 women and 5 men working earnestly to end open defecation in the area.
In an interview, the leader of WASH com of St Francis Sugu IV community, Donatus Donah also appreciates UNICEF for the awareness noting that it has proved to be most useful to the members of the community.
He noted that since the beginning of the initiative, the community has witnessed drastic fall in advent of diseases such as cholera, malaria and typhoid fever. He noted that people are also very proactive in every endeavor that has to do with hygiene and cleanliness making sure that they wash hands after visiting toilets and also maintain a safe and disease free environment.
Donah said so far, the community has built no fewer than five toilets and working towards ensuring that all households are equipped with toilets.
He called on the government and stakeholders to come to the rescue of the community through the provision of clean water noting that dearth of water is one of the major concerns of the community.
