Report of Triggering Activities in Takalafiya Community

Introduction

The importance of the state of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the development process and overall well being of the people cannot be over-emphasized. It is little wonder then that on the 28th June 2010, in the Resolution A/RES/64/292), the General Assembly of the United Nations “recognized the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights”. Access to WASH is a basic human right, and lack of access is not only an injustice but is detrimental to economic productivity, childhood survival, public health, education, environmental conservation, climate resilience, and much more.

It is line with that, the Community – Based Initiative for Growth and Sustainability in collaboration with EnvironFocus, funded by IBWU (it Begins With U) triggered Takalafiya community members on Saturday 22^nd February 2020 using the Community – Led Total Sanitation approach.

Objective:

Awareness creation and sensitization on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Community profile

A total of 209 persons (64 male, 50 female and 95 children) were present at the triggering session. The community is made up of Igbo, Tiv, Gbagi, Hausa Fulani, Yoruba, Koru and Bazor and a total of 106 households. The community has no safe water point, public school, primary health care or market present. Members are traders, artisans and farmers. They have one mosque and four churches.

Triggering outcomes

The facilitators triggered community members using Defecation Area Mapping (DAM) and Medical expenses. From the DAM, it showed that while majority of the households have no access to suitable facilities (latrine/Toilets) about 10% of community members have toilets and were using them. At the end of the triggering session, 12 people (7 males and 5 females) volunteered to be part of the WASHCOM members to oversee to the sanitation and digging of latrines of the community members.

Conclusion

On 22^nd February, members of Takalafiya community in Bassan Jiwa, AMAC, Abuja were triggered. Defecation Area Mapping and medical expenses were the triggering tools used. 209 members were present at the session and 12 community members (7 males and 5 females) formed WASHCOM and will be trained in due course.