WaterAid's urban work in practice

Self help groups

Mrs Lakshmi collects fees from latrine users.

Credit: WaterAid / Libby Clarke

The Karuvattupettai slum was the site for WaterAid's first project in Tiruchirapalli, a city in the state of Tamil Nadu in south India. WaterAid's partner Gramalaya has built communal toilet blocks in the slum and the community has formed self help groups, which then created sanitation and hygiene education (SHE) teams that maintain the toilets.

Mrs Lakshmi works as one of the caretakers, collecting the latrine users' fees. "I am one of two people employed to look after the latrines. We charge per use of the latrines in order to fund the maintenance.

"People are prepared to pay money to use the latrines as they know the funds pay to keep the latrines clean. If people are unable to pay, for instance if they are sick or disabled, then we let them in for free. "The money pays for repairs, light bulbs, soap and cleaning materials. The money left over is now being used to build a community hall.

"Diseases have fallen dramatically here since the latrine blocks were built. There used to be cases of brain fever, elephantitis, malaria and jaundice. Brain fever was spread by mosquitoes which had bitten pigs. The pigs have gone now as there is no longer any food for them - they used to eat the faeces from our open defecation. Our husbands support us as they have seen the improvements in all our living conditions, which help them keep well enough to go to work."

Water on tap

Zenebech Zewede with a WaterAid funded latrine block in the background, Ethiopia.

Credit: WaterAid / Caroline Irby

"I can now have a shower, use the latrines, get water and wash my clothes freely" explains Zenebech Zewede from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when she talks about the differences that a WaterAid funded project has brought to her life.

"Before I had to pay 25c (1.5p) for every bucket of water and I had to go a long way to collect it. Now I can buy three buckets for just 15c (0.9p) and it is very near to my house.

"Before I could only get two buckets a day, but now, thanks to the project, I can collect four if I need to. Even buying more water costs me less than before and it is much closer too. I represent all of my community when I say thank you for this project.

"Before, when I needed the latrine I used to have to go in the neighbourhood. It is a big gift to be clean. I have a five year old son and it is better for him too. I want my son to become educated now and to develop his position."

The cost of living

Ruby describes what life is like living in the Balar Math slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. "This slum has existed for 10 years and is in a shocking state," she says.

"Hanging latrines feed straight into a rubbish-filled ditch in the middle of the slum. 5000 households live here with no clean water and no sanitation. Many people get very ill here and I think it all stems from the open latrines. Smell the stench, it's disgusting. We get fevers, coughs and terrible diarrhoea and there are no healthcare facilities that we can use.

Ruby in Balar Math slum in Dhakar, Bangladesh.

Credit: WaterAid / Abir Abdullah

"We spend lots of time bringing water from a handpump about 20 minutes' walk away. There are only old handpumps though and they are not deep enough and the sinking water table means that only a small amount of water can be drawn from them each day. You have to queue for at least two hours to get the water.

"I earn between 500-1000 taka (£4.50-£9) per month and I have to spend about 100 taka (90p) on water. At least we are surviving. Our biggest fear is that we get evicted from the slum by the government."