CWS News

“I feel safer now that we have a latrine, we don’t have to fear for hygiene issues and also weather every time we want to go to the river for cleaning” said Pik Anon, a 50 year old woman of Kampung Juah village, Sungai Limau Sub-district, West Sumatra.

She was one among thousands of people who were affected by the 7.6 RS earthquake, which destroyed hundreds of houses and also wells as source of clean water in West Sumatra at the end of September 2009.

Pik Anon, a widow and mother of three children, along with most of the community in the village, used to take water from a river which is located about 300 meter away from her house for all cleaning purposes such as washing clothes, bathing and defecating.

“We know that it is not very good to use river water for all the cleaning purposes but we could not afford a latrine, only some families can afford their own private latrine,” said the lady who makes a living out of her rice field.

Pik Anon is using water from the well for washing her hands
(CWS Indonesia)

Pik Anon and her family drew drinking water from a neighbor's well. Although it was not from the river, they had to filter and boil before consuming it. Since the earthquake occurred they could not use the water from the well and had to buy water for drinking and cooking. The water costs Rp. 2,000 per jerry can. For someone like Pik Anon, a widow with three children whose income fluctuates with the harvest of the paddy, the high cost of drinking water is a burden she cannot afford.

Church World Service has provided thirteen latrines in the village, consisting of 32 stalls.  In addition to that, CWS has also constructed wells that will serve about 500 households in Kampung Juah Village. To promote hygiene, CWS has provided hygiene information and also hygiene tools such as brush, broom, bucket etc.

“We have been using the latrine for two months now and we are happy,” expressed Pik Anon. This latrine is benefiting more than 10 families around here. She said that they are proud to have the latrine. “We will do all we can to look after the latrine,” she added. She explained and further elaborated that the community who uses the latrine work together to keep the latrine clean by using the hygiene tools provided at the latrine. [LR/IV/2010]