Location
Sinthiane Quartier, Podor, St. Lous, Senegal
Community Description
Podor is a large town of about 15,000 people situated in the region of St. Louis. It is made up of six districts and has four primary schools.
Most of the residents of Sinthiane are of the Pulaar, Wolof, Maure, and Diola ethnic groups.
Students from the Sinthiane district are served by the Amadou Sy Elementary School, also called Primary School Number Four. It is the town’s southern-most school, located near the entrance of town, on the bank of the Senegal River.
The school has 397 students, 12 classes (two classes for each grade), 13 teachers, and one director. The president of the PTA is a teacher at the school and is in charge of all environmental issues at the school. The school receives clean water from the Podor water tower.
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease, is prevalent in the school’s student population. It causes debilitating health problems, and is often acquired by swimming or playing in contaminated water.
Currently, there are two sets of latrines at the school — one for the girls that houses six latrines, and one for the boys that has three.
The girls’ building is improperly aerated and the majority of the latrines in both buildings are impossible to use because of the state of the toilets.
Additionally, the cement floor of the girls’ latrine is severely cracked and many doors are broken, encouraging students to seek privacy behind the structure rather than use the latrines themselves.
Project Description
This project is to renovate the two sets of latrines, 6 latrines for girls, 3 for boys, and restore them to working order.
Windows will be installed for ventilation along the back wall of the girls’ building, and piping will be installed in the septic tank for aeration. The broken doors will be repaired and new hinges will be installed. In addition, six of the Turkish toilets will be replaced, and the cracked floor will be re-cemented.
Project funds will be used to buy cement, piping, door hinges, Turkish toilets, and to pay a mason for his labor.
The school director and community will provide the sand needed for the project.
Teachers will alternate weekly duties for maintaining the latrines to ensure that the latrine project will continue to benefit students for many years to come.
Educational sessions within each class of the primary school will be taught during the allotted time for hygiene and sanitation in the normal curriculum. These sessions will teach students about Schistosomiasis, the importance of using latrines as a means of decreasing the spread of intestinal parasitic diseases, proper usage of latrines, and the importance of washing hands with soap after use of latrines.
This latrine project is part of an overall school improvement project. The school intends to install trash cans within each classroom as well as school yard trash cans. In addition, the school plans to start a school garden in conjunction with environmental and nutrition education lessons integrated into the normal curriculum.
Project Impact
397 students, 13 teachers and one school director will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Madeline Tiee
Comments
This latrine improvement project will decrease the incidence of intestinal parasitic and diarrheal diseases and increase general sanitation and health among students. It is well supported, and integrated into an overall plan, thus adding to the momentum and ensuring sustainability.
Dollar Amount of Project
$500.00
Donations Collected to Date
$500.00
Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded through the generosity of Bob, Janine, Mom, Dad, Nick, Mikey, and Louie.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Madeline of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by Madeline and/or those of other PCVs in Senegal.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.