The gesture is the non-governmental organisation’s contribution to the community to end open defecation and promote sanitation in the community.

The 6,500 US Dollar facility has nine taps and is expected to pump about 2,000 gallons of water daily to supply approximately 678 school population and 60 households in the communities around the school.

World Vision International commissioned and presented the facility to the communities on Wednesday to mark the celebration of this year’s international Toilet Day celebration at Tupint near Worinyanga.

The facility is expected to supply the school pupils and the community members water to wash their hands after visiting the toilet and to undertake other household chores and to help keep their environment clean.

Mr Cephas Wedam, Wash Project Officer at World Vision international, said World Vision is a child focused organization and works with children and families of all faiths and religious background to ensure that the wellbeing of the children are well addressed.

He said it is the hope of WVI to encourage and ensure good sanitation in the provision of portable drinking water for their welfare and their families.

Mr Wedam said World Toilet Day (WTD) is an annual event celebrated on 19 November every year and that the day focuses on the importance of proper sanitation and advocates for access to clean and safe toilets for all.

He said the day was set aside to draw attention to the global sanitation crisis adding that in 2013, the United Nations (UN) passed a resolution recognizing World Toilet Day as an official UN international day.

He said this year’s celebration was held under the theme: “When Nature Calls”, adding “if we listen to nature, we can clearly hear the message that we need to rapidly improve the sustainability of our communities”.

He said “on the World Toilet Day, we will discover that by working in harmony with natural processes, we can find nature-based solutions to some of the sanitation challenges we face in the 21st century”.

Mr Wedam said “today, estimates by the United Nation reveal that 4.5 billion, people live without safely managed sanitation and 892 million people still practice open defecation “when nature calls”.

The WASH Project Officer urged the people to adhere to the advice to stop open defecation because “when nature calls and you visit the toilet or latrine it has a positive impact on your health, dignity, personal safety, especially for women and children, but when nature calls you and you practice open defecation, it brings serious soil transmitted diseases and waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid among others”.

Mr Wedam said the programme is ongoing in the Garu Tempane area adding that its partners are strongly committed to the WVI partnership campaign to “End Child Marriage Now!”. “This campaign is to accelerate the protection of children, empower them as well as provide equal opportunities for them by 2021”.

Mr Abdul-Razak Yakah, Coordinating Director for the Tempane District, who delivered a speech on behalf the District Chief Executive, Mr Paul Azumah said the Assembly would embark on household inspections to ensure that every home constructed toilet facilities and impose sanctions on those who fail to do so.