Robert DiFilippo and I visited Apatut last April. One of our
goals for the trip was to build a tippy-tap at the community elementary school
and to present the students with effective sanitation practices. Tippy-taps were first developed by Dr. Jim
Watt of the Salvation Army in Chiweshe, Zimbabwe1 and are now used in
several developing countries. They also have proven to be a great solution for increasing
hand washing and reducing the occurrence of diarrhea and other illnesses; especially
among kids.
Around 60 students and their parents attended the tippy-tap
construction seminar at the elementary school. Zenaida Ollero and Maria Gracia
Alejo, two of the school teachers, helped us organize the event and several
parents helped with looking for local materials for the tippy-tap construction.
The materials used for the construction were branches, bamboo, rope and a
plastic container which are all readily available. The tippy-tap was built near the school playground
with the intention that the students wash their hands after using the latrines and
before going back to the classroom after recess.
Students at the tippy-tap presentation
Tippy-tap frame built with tree branches and bamboo
Finished tippy-tap
One of the teachers washing her hands with the tippy-tap
After the construction of the tippy-tap, the students participated
in a drawing competition which topic was sanitation. The teachers at the school selected
the six (6) best drawings; three (3) girls and three (3) boys. We were very
impressed at the students’ perception of sanitation. They drew kids brushing
their teeth, washing their hands, brushing their hair and taking a bath. Hopefully this presentation serves as a reminder
of the role that sanitation has in community health and more tippy-taps will be
built around the community!
Students drawing about sanitation
One of the winning drawings
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