Water Charity Final Report – Latrines in Sam, Gabon

Scope of the project

Seven volunteers affiliated with Encore de la Paix spent the month of March in the village of Sam, Gabon to construct two three-stall latrines at each of the two schools in the community. The latrines were the second stage of a school renovation project that was completed in 2016, allowing us the opportunity to reconnect with the village and to provide sorely needed sanitation facilities for the teachers, students and community residents. Two Gabonese were hired to help with the construction and about a dozen village residents volunteered their time during the course of the project.

Specific work that was done

Encore de la Paix is the service arm of Friends of Gabon, an affiliate of the returned Peace Corps Volunteer association. Of the seven volunteers associated with this project, four were former Peace Corps volunteers in Gabon, one was a former UN official in Gabon, and two were married to former volunteers.

During the month, the group completed two other projects, including the distribution of 520 mosquito nets, in cooperation with the Gabonese Ministry of Health, and the painting of a world map mural on the wall off one of the school classrooms.

The latrines that were built each had three squat-style stalls and incorporated a screen-covered ventilation pipe so flies could not escape, privacy doors, and a covered water collection to reduce mosquito infestations, and a hand-washing station. Latrine pits were five meters long, three meters wide and two meters deep. The platform was made of cement but the structure was made out of locally available wood.

Stages of Work

-- prior to arrival

First, detailed, engineering drawings were prepared to determine the materials needed, and to ensure the concrete platform was strong enough to hold up the structure and occupants of the

latrines. Our Libreville representative pre-ordered many of the materials so they would be on hand when we arrived.

Next, villagers dug the two latrines in advance of our arrivals, so that we could immediately begin building upon arrival. Measurements were passed along to those responsible, but both holes were dug larger than originally planned. This meant reassessing the dimensions and materials needed once we arrived in the village.

Darius (with no shirt) and other students from the school finalize one of the pits.

-- preparing the foundation

Given the strong clay content in the soil, dirt walls and floor would suffice for the latrine pit. Columns were placed to hold the frame constructed for the platform. At left, Drew, Nico and Pacome lay the planks for the wooden frame over the latrine pit.

A wooden mold was prepared with steel reinforcing bars to strengthen the cement platform. The rebars were tied into cinder blocks in a trench surrounding the wooden mold. Styrofoam molds were also placed in the wooden floor mold for the squat holes. Shorter reinforced rods were bent in a vertical position to fasten the above-ground wooden structure to the platform. This process was completed first on one latrine and the cement was poured before moving to repeat the process on the other latrine.

-- pouring the platform

This was the most labor-intensive process, even though each pour was confined to just one day. Materials were gathered in advance of the pour, specifically the sand and gravel moved from local sites. At left, John and David fill the wheel barrow to move the gravel to the mixing site.

With no running water, we collected barrels of rain water, that had to be supplemented by last-minute bucket brigades during the course of the pour. From left to right, Charlie, Pacome, Virginie, John and Nico pour water into a barrel, under the studious gaze of an eventual beneficiary of the latrine.

Cement was mixed on the ground and moved to the site by wheelbarrow. Drew and Pacome dump another load of mixed cement on to the wooden mold.

Here, Drew and Nico level off the poured cement, under the scorching hot tropical sun. Visible are the reinforcing rods that will anchor the wooden structure to the dried cement.

-- building the structure

After three days to ensure the cement dried, the frame for the wooden structure was prepared. Drew and Virginie are laying out the exterior and interior walls for the latrines.

The exterior planks, pre-cut, went up fairly quickly. The doors had also been built on site in advance during rainy days when we couldn’t work outside. Here Nico and Pacome move a make-shift scaffold (an old desk) into place.

-- roofing

We used tin sheets that had been removed from the school two years earlier when we put a new roof on the school. Nico waves as he and Pacome place a sheet on the roof of one of the latrines.

-- painting

Interior and exterior walls were painted to ensure better hygiene. All hands to work: Marcel (the school director) Dani, and Claire work in a tight space to complete the inside of one of the stalls.

We also landscaped around the latrines, covering up the fifty-year old former pits.

-- adding hand-wash stations

We placed a gutter and rain barrel in the back of each latrine to collect water to replenish the hand-washing “tippy” that Drew constructed for occupants to use upon exiting. In order that mosquitos not lay their eggs in the still water of the bucket, we place a netting over each of the barrels.

End Results

With a day to spare, we put the finishing touches on the painting, and then had a whole day for cleaning up the site. Here Joseph, a student at the school, helps load up the truck with unused cement bricks.

We paid a farewell visit to the sous-prefet, M. Ze-Ovono Emmanuel, who remembered Peace Corps English teachers he had in high school. Here Drew hands over the ceremonial keys to the latrines.

Final budget

The final budget for the project came to $6,208, over the $5,000 originally anticipated. The extra cost came about due to more materials needed with the two dug pits larger than we expected.

Outcomes

Two latrines are now available to teachers, students and community residents behind each of the two schools in the village. Private, hygienic latrines will make it easier to recruit teachers, will allow girls to feel more comfortable in continuing their education and reduce the spread of disease in the community.

From this…..

(you can see the school in the background)

To these …

Dani came from the nearest large town, Mitzic, to help paint the blue latrine. When it was finished, she told us (unprompted) “It’s beautiful. We don’t have anything as nice in our town. How come this village gets one so beautiful?”

Pacome, who helped us build the latrines, told us that he would walk a longer distance to use a cleaner, more private latrine, confirming that these latrines will receive substantial community use.

Boniface, the head of the Sam D’Abord association of village residents, profusely thanked Encore de la Paix for improving the health of the children attending the school.

Finally, and most importantly, thanks to Water Charity for all the work you do, and for underwriting this latrine project in Sam, Gabon.

Behind one school, old latrine wall next to it, later removed. To the right, John and Claire in front of the other latrine.