Thank you for writing this, it really helped me understand better the actual realities of the situation and relate to it.
American here, when I was a kid I did quite a bit of camping, maybe 4 or 5 nights a month. I remember quite a few campsites had helpfully provided various kinds of septic-tank or deep pit latrines. most or the time I'd end up finding a decent spot out in the woods to do my business as it really was a more pleasant place.
So yeah, given a choice of a hot, smelly, dirty box or a quiet place behind a tree, I'd pick the tree almost every time.
It seems to me then that the problem is that nobody is consulting the villagers as to what would be a preferable environment to do their business. What would they like better? How does that conform to sanitary requirements? Is there some intersection of requirements and desires that might make everybody happy?
> So yeah, given a choice of a hot, smelly, dirty box or a quiet place behind a tree, I'd pick the tree almost every time.
Amen. That's this "story" in a nutshell.
> ....Is there some intersection of requirements and desires that might make everybody happy?
These are excellent questions, but I think no one is asking them. Agencies like UNICEF are busy funding ridiculous and patronizing campaigns like this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_peUxE_BKcU). As a result, the Government is running hell for leather trying to get some toilets built, and "educating" people to use them, instead of asking "What problems do you have?".
Hopefully, some of the solutions I suggested, or alternatives, might strike some of the planning officials. Otherwise this is going to be a largely symbolic and useless gesture.
American here, when I was a kid I did quite a bit of camping, maybe 4 or 5 nights a month. I remember quite a few campsites had helpfully provided various kinds of septic-tank or deep pit latrines. most or the time I'd end up finding a decent spot out in the woods to do my business as it really was a more pleasant place.
So yeah, given a choice of a hot, smelly, dirty box or a quiet place behind a tree, I'd pick the tree almost every time.
It seems to me then that the problem is that nobody is consulting the villagers as to what would be a preferable environment to do their business. What would they like better? How does that conform to sanitary requirements? Is there some intersection of requirements and desires that might make everybody happy?