Conclusion of Uyanga Soum Secondary School Latrine Project – Mongolia

This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Terrence Edwards. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK HERE.

The project was to build a ventilated pit latrine at the school.

Terrence reports:

A sanitary and safe restroom is essential to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and raise the standard of living within a community. As part of a larger water access and sanitation initiative, a new latrine for Uyanga Sum Secondary School was constructed.

The previous latrine was shallow and unsanitary. A pungent odor permeated the area of a 3-meter radius. In winter, feces froze and accumulated, often peeking through the top of the repository.

The design used was that of the Blair Latrine, popular in Africa and modified for use in Mongolia and to fit the desires and needs of the school.

A porter car was hired to transport all materials unavailable in Uyanga Sum from Arvaikheer (the Aimag Center). These materials include wood, brick and cement for construction.

The pit and latrine structure were built by school workers. Uyang Sum Secondary School’s tenth and eleventh grade students contributed to the digging.

The pit is a full 4-meters deep. Changes to the design included a wooden floor and ventilation chimney.

The construction of a new latrine at Uyanga Sum Secondary School has indeed resulted in better sanitary conditions here. The new latrine provides fresher air and a cleaner environment.

We extend our thanks to Terrence for completing this project, and again express our gratitude to his friends and family for providing the funding.