The Geng-Geng Payam community in Yirol West County marked World Toilet Day with support from Health German and collaboration with the Center for Emergency Support (CEDS) in partnership with the Lakes State Ministry of Land, Housing, and Public Utility.
The celebration in Yirol West County on Tuesday brought together members of the parliamentary representatives in the Lakes State Revitalized Transitional Assembly, the Minister of Land, Housing, and Public Utility, community chiefs, women, and youths on Tuesday.
Monica Abeny Marial, a women’s representative in Geng Payam of Yirol West County, expressed her joy and happiness regarding the commemoration of World Toilet Day at Pircok Primary School in Yirol West County.
She emphasized the significance of latrines for women in South Sudan, particularly in Yirol West. “We are very happy today to celebrate World Toilet Day in Pircok Primary School. The issue of latrines is very important for us in our houses,” she said.
Abeny urged everyone in the county to prioritize the construction of latrines in their homesteads, stating, “When your child defecates, and you collect the child’s feces and put them in the latrine, then sickness will not come to people.”
Highlighting the health benefits, she explained, “When you do that, your own child will not have diarrhea and vomiting, and the money that you will use to treat the child will not be used for the treatment.”
Abeny added practical advice, saying, “After collecting the child’s feces, wash your hands with soap or a harsh substance, wash the child’s clothes, and dry them properly. This is very important to us as women of Pircok.”
Meanwhile, David Mabor Makuei, the youth representative of Geng-Geng Payam, expressed his joy in celebrating World Toilet Day at Pircok Primary School alongside the leaders of Lakes State.
“We are delighted to be here with the Minister of Land, Housing, and Public Utility and the health organization partners who initiated the celebration of World Toilet Day at Pircok Primary School,” he said.
Makuei pointed out several challenges they are currently facing, stating, “We lack materials and are using local resources to construct pit latrines. Additionally, we don’t have suitable stands for children and vulnerable individuals to use the toilets effectively.”
He highlighted the critical issue of water scarcity, particularly in local areas, saying, “We have hand pumps that were once functional, but they are no longer working. This poses a significant challenge, and we are currently lacking clean water due to the non-operational hand pumps.”
Makuei expressed the hope for government intervention, stating, “We wish our government to step in, especially now that the security situation has been addressed by the Lakes State governor. Our main challenge lies in the development of water sources, and this is what we are grappling with in our local areas.”
Joseph Monydit Malieny, a CEDS Wash officer in Lakes State, said: “We came to Yirol West County to celebrate World Toilet Day under the theme ‘accelerating change to solve the sanitation crisis in Lakes State.’”
Malieny conveyed his satisfaction, stating, “We are very glad to have the community of Yirol West County come together to commemorate this global event. We delivered key messages about this event, and the community has expressed their happiness. They have committed to constructing their latrines using locally available materials in their households and also in health facilities at the school levels.”
“We convey this message to all our people in Lakes State, not only in Yirol West but wherever you are as a community of Lakes State. Take this event with the message so that all of us have latrines in all aspects,” he added.
For his part, the Minister of Land, Housing, and Public Utilities, Mawet Manuer Kok, stated that they have arrived at Geng-Geng Payam in Yirol West County to participate in the celebration of World Toilet Day at Pircok Primary School.
“We traditionally observe this event annually, reaching out to Payams in remote areas where our people require guidance on toilet usage and construction. That’s why we are here to celebrate with them in this Payam,” he explained.
The minister stressed the necessity of educating the community about health, asserting, “Our people need to be taught about the importance of health.” He underscored the health benefits of having a toilet at home, explaining, “When you dig a toilet in your house, sickness will not affect your children.”
Highlighting the broader advantages, he emphasized, “To have a toilet in your house can prevent many issues if you go to the bushes. You can be bitten by snakes or other animals present in the bush.”
The minister expressed optimism about reaching more areas, noting, “We can reach wherever we want to reach because insecurity has become normal. Now is the time, as our governor told us, for development. Developing individuals who are not educated to dig and use toilets is crucial for overall development.”
He expressed, “Today, we are pleased, and we’ve engaged with the community, receiving their appreciation for this event. Next year, we plan to celebrate World Toilet Day in a different county, possibly Rumbek North, Wulu, or Cueibet.”