World Toilet Day

With the new latrines, Sonu no longer fears going to the toilet at night.

Credit: WaterAid / Suzanne Porter

What if you didn't have access to a toilet?

What if you had to go to the toilet openly where everyone could see you?

How would you feel?

Sonu from India had to experiences these feelings every day.  

"I didn't like having to cross the road, I was afraid of the insects and ghosts, I am much happier using the latrine in the house. I can now go to the toilet on my own. Before when I needed to go in the night I had to wake my father up to come with me as I was scared."

Help more children like Sonu by supporting WaterAid this World Toilet Day.

World Toilet Day, 19 November was launched in 2001 to encourage an international focus on the importance of good sanitation. Sanitation facilities can come in many different forms from the ceramic toilet commonly used in the developed world to a simple hole in the ground. Each serves the same basic need and is equally effective!

2.5 billion people don't have access to sanitation. This can make them feel embarrassed or unsafe or scared, especially at night. Open defecation can also lead to terrible illnesses that make people very sick, so sick that they can't work and sometimes they even die. These people don't have a choice, there are no toilets where they live and they can't afford to build them once they have paid for basics such as food and medicine.

You can help people access clean water and sanitation facilities by supporting WaterAid this World Toilet Day. Below are a few ideas on how you and your school can get involved.

Click here for free school resources. 

Fundraising ideas

Help WaterAid raise vital funds this World Toilet day and have some fun at the same time. Here are some fundraising ideas for you to try out.

• Have a giant game of Turdlywinks in your playground, you can mark out the area in chalk and get your teacher to read out the sanitation messages.
• Make a toilet wishing well; be creative and build your own toilet out of paper mache, recycled materials or even just a cardboard seat on a bucket. Get students to put their spare change in the toilet and make a wish!   
• Have a 'T' day at school. Get everybody to pay £1 to wear no uniform, but come dressed as something beginning with a T; a turtle, in turquoise, a tree, a tap or even a toilet!
• Toilet Tax. On World Toilet Day ask all the students at your school to make a small donation everytime they use the toilet, wash their hands or have a glass of water. This will show everybody how important it is to have clean water and sanitation, and help support WaterAid at the same time!

Find out about our School Harvest Appeal and sign up for the free harvest pack.