Project Launch: 8-14-18

Chamanga is a large fishing village on the coast of Ecuador that does not have a sanitation system, running water or even a body of water that would dilute and carry away bodily wastes; only the estuary where everyone fishes and bathes. One solution is to implement urine-diverting dry toilets. This sanitation system is new to the users and the current proposal is to educate and raise consciousness in the community about the benefits and proper use of this system and, in particular, to form a microenterprise of mostly women and youth to provide material for covering the waste, collect the contents of these toilets (and organic kitchen waste), and cultivate fruits, vegetables, and other profitable plants with the fertilizers that are generated. The main fertilizer will be the urine, which holds 90% of the nutrients and transmits no diseases when dispersed in the soil. With such a large community, it is key to have a well-trained, enthusiastic team to manage the toilets, rather than to expect all of the users to do so properly on their own. Jobs will, thus, be created for this team, which will be financed via user fees and the sale of the produce. Once successful in this neighborhood, the microenterprise can offer this service to others, while setting a sustainable example for the world.