42 Toilets for Affected School in Lombok
#LombokBangkitKembali - The earthquake that occurred in Lombok in 2018 destroyed so many houses, schools, and public facilities. North Lombok Regency and East Lombok Regency are places where the destruction was very real.
According to the condition, Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) through the Lombok Earthquake Emergency Response helped the community to regain their lives after the earthquake struck. With the support of donors, WVI continues to provide assistance to the affected people in Lombok until 2020.
Supported by Yayasan Pundi Amal Peduli Kasih (YPP) SCTV Indosiar, WVI is helping the affected schools in Lombok by providing toilets and water tanks in the school areas. 42 toilets were built and 21 water tanks were placed at schools in North Lombok Regency and East Lombok Regency.
SDN 5 Sokong (elementary school) is one of eight schools that received this assistance. The school buildings of SDN 5 Sokong were destroyed so that all school residents have to move to safer areas by renting a plot of land to be used as a temporary place for students.
One year has passed, the school is still rented the land. After moving to the new place, students and teachers at the school do not have access to clean water.
Hendo, Principal of SDN 5 Sokong, said that his students often had difficulty urinating and defecating due to the unavailability of toilets around rented land. Hendo and the teachers had a chance to coordinate with local residents to simply ask for flowing water, so students could use it to wash their hands.
"The water is indeed able to wash hands, but to urinate and defecate, children must go to the river. The road to it is quite steep, so children need supervision and permission from the teacher if they want to go there," said Hendo.
Now, after the attendance of toilet assistance at the school, Hendo admitted the students at his school were very helped. The six toilet units provided at the school. It helps students to stay clean and healthy at school.
Diana, one of the students said she and her friends often resist urinating or defecating when there is no toilet available at her school.
"It is now safer to go to the toilet anytime. No need to queue anymore," she said.
In addition to providing toilet assistance, YPP SCTV Indosiar also supports WVI to conduct health promotion programs in every school that gets toilet buildings. Health promotion in the form of making compost and washing hands with soap became an activity carried out by WVI with more than 1,000 beneficiary children in North Lombok Regency and East Lombok Regency.
Written by: Putri ianne Barus, Communication Officer of Wahana Visi Indonesia
