Durban – A KwaZulu-Natal school has mobilised the community to replace its pit latrines.
This, after a number of pupils have died after falling into pit latrines across South Africa:
- In 2018, five-year-old Lumka Mketwa fell into a pit latrine at Luna Primary in the Eastern Cape.
- In 2017 Siyamthanda Mtunu died after the walls of a pit toilet collapsed on him at Dalasile Primary School in the Eastern Cape.
- In 2014 five-year-old Michael Komape fell into a pit latrine at Mahlodumela Primary in Limpopo.
Citizen Leader Lab said that while these tragedies shocked the nation, the eradication of pit latrines in South Africa’s most under-resourced schools is still a challenge. These antiquated sanitation systems continue to pose a risk to children who may fall into them or be exposed to dangerous gases.
Since Sogidi Primary School, a rural school near oThongathi on the KZN’s North Coast, was established, its pupils have risked their lives by having to use hazardous pit latrines.
Hoping for change, Sogidi principal Nokuthula Sibisi and executive coach and business and leadership development specialist Mark Fraser-Grant, worked together to restore the dignity and safety of Sogidi’s 200 pupils, by enlisting the support of the community to build modern ablution facilities.
Sibisi took part in Citizen Leader Lab’s leadership development programme for school principals, and Fraser-Grant was the coach guiding Sibisi in the programme.
Citizen Leader Lab said that the award-winning programme supports principals so that they gain the skills needed to confidently lead change in, and mobilise communities around, their schools.
Sibisi said she believes that the leadership skills she gained on the programme were instrumental in attracting the funds and services to commence the project.
“The workshops really helped me strategise to involve stakeholders and companies in this project. With my new skills and Mark Fraser-Grant’s help, I wrote many proposals explaining the situation at my school, highlighting that the Grade R latrines were soon going to collapse,” Sibisi said.
She said that the project is already generating excitement among her pupils and staff, with construction expected to be completed towards the end of May 2023.
“The school’s morale is changing. The learners are eager to come to school. Everyone’s self-esteem, dignity and motivation are up,” Sibisi said.
The community near the school has also invested in making the project a success.
“Our community members are not only helping to build the new facilities, but they are also protecting the school from theft and damage. The relationship between Sogidi and the community is really improving,” Sibisi said.
Fraser-Grant says that Sibisi had always had the vision to eradicate Sogidi’s pit latrines. First, they researched companies and donors who could realise this vision.
“We settled on Innovative Methology, an NGO led by Pradeep Boodoo, that builds and renovates schools, health care and community facilities,” Fraser-Grant said.
As part of their efforts to empower the communities around Sogidi, Fraser-Grant, Sibisi and Boodoo enrolled locals to carry out the basic construction work under the supervision of experienced construction engineers.
Fraser-Grant mentioned that this is very much in line with the way Innovative Methology works, where the school becomes a partner in their own project by committing to provide water, security and accommodation for the builder’s team. Builders, who are small, medium and micro-enterprises, are contracted to each project, and members of the community are employed for the project’s duration.
No project can be successful without funding.
Fraser-Grant explained that the Victor Daitz Foundation came on board when they learnt that Sogidi was part of the Citizen Leader Lab network.
“The foundation wanted to support Principal Sibisi because they knew her heart was in the right place. They knew that she has had exposure to leadership through Citizen Leader Lab, and they were impressed by how well she took care of her school,” Fraser-Grant said.
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