World Toilet Day: Improving sanitation and hygiene in Jhimpa Gaon

Today is World Toilet Day, and a great opportunity to think about something we often take for granted: our loo!

There are 3.6 billion people in the world living without access to safely managed sanitation. When some people in a community do not have clean and safe toilets, it threatens everyone’s health and safety. Poor sanitation can contaminate rivers, beaches, crops, and sources for drinking water, spreading deadly disease.

We are helping to put a stop to this in Nepal, ensuring that the homes of Gurkha veterans, their families, and their communities all have clean and safe toilets.

We aim for clean and safe toilets to be accessible to all children in Nepal, and part of our programme includes installing gender-separate toilets in the schools we repair and refurbish. Historically, this has not only protected children’s health, but also improved female students’ school attendance.

Bringing safe toilets to a rural secondary school

Last year, in collaboration with UK Aid, our team worked hard to bring a clean water supply to Jhimpa Gaon, a village in Nepal’s hilly Baglung District. We provided villagers with guidance on best sanitation practices, constructed safe toilets, and brought clean water to 253 people in the area.

The Trust also built a new set of toilets for Shree Jana Jivaraj Shushila Secondary School, constructing separate facilities for male and female students as well as a disability-friendly toilet.

Yamkanta Paudel, the secondary school’s principal, was thrilled with the result of our work. “There was a real need for clean toilets and proper handwashing stations in our school,” he said. “We have 369 students in our school.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust was able to provide us with a clean water supply, new toilets, and handwashing stations. Dhanyabad!”

The students at Shree Jana Jivaraj Shushila Secondary School were also thankful to GWT’s donors for their improved facilities. “Thank you for providing us with a hand washing station and a latrine in our school, and highlighting the importance of health among students,” said one student, Sujan Budha Magar.

Over the years we’ve been able to improve sanitation and hygiene in schools across Nepal, benefitting many students like those at Shree Jana Jivaraj Shushila.

Improving sanitation and health across Nepal

Take a look at a few of the toilet blocks and handwashing stations we have recently constructed for schools in Thoklimba, Thinglabu, Sibhuwa, and Shree Manjyang Lamagaon.