101 Toilets Built

We've been back in our little country for a while now... But what an incredibly good week we've had in Ghana! Together with The Good Roll Foundation and our local partners, we've managed to open more than 101 toilet units and start the construction of 10 extra units. In total, all this toilet goodness will give access to sanitation to more than 5000 people, er-mah-gerd!

These units are our The Good Toilet concept; the concept in which we see the toilet building as the beginning of a sustainable chain. As a company of the Kikkerlands, we can never pretend that we know what other communities need without first doing thorough research. In Ghana, for example, in most neighborhoods with communal toilets it is normal to pay for your visit. If you suddenly give free access to your newly planted toilet, you could easily ruin the existing economic dynamics. There you are, with your good motives!

Anyway, we build those Good Toilets together with local parties (hey WASHKing 🙋‍♀️), all from locally available materials. We look together at what is needed, and where. Once the toilets have been built, a franchiser takes responsibility for maintaining the new toilet building. This toilet director manages the building together with a cleaner. So the toilets not only provide a safe toilet, but also employment! In addition, each toilet building has room for a small kiosk with sanitary essentials, such as sanitary towels. The Good Toilet, koppie koppie aka kontje kontje!

Furthermore, during our trip we visited more than 35 locations and spoke to many local communities and introduced them to our The Good Toilet concept. The local chiefs gave us permission to start building and we have now actually started building the newest units. In March we will go back to Ghana to open more than 200 NEW TOILETS! 🎉

And there is more! Two weeks ago now we completed a borehole for a new water well at one of our largest toilet sites. Clean and safe water is still not a basic requirement in Ghana, so by building safe and clean water pumps we can provide the communities there with water. In addition, our water projects are equipped with filters to guarantee 100% safe drinking water and jerrycan stations are part of the deal . At these places people can exchange their used, dirty jerrycans for clean ones. Sustainable mission accomplished . 💦