One of Wahana Visi Indonesia’s (WVI) assisted areas in the Melawi Regency is home to one of the remotest hamlets in West Kalimantan. When WVI first began its mentoring work there, reaching the settlement required a three-hour journey on a trail bike. There was always the looming risk of sliding off the muddy, yellow-clay tracks during rainfall or being stranded without a mobile signal if the bike broke down.
At the time, the children’s health was in a dire state, and tuberculosis rates were alarmingly high. The environment was heavily contaminated with both human and animal waste. Open defecation was the norm, particularly since the hamlet sat by a river, effectively turning the waterway into the world’s longest latrine. Teachers, healthcare workers, and outsiders refused to stay or even visit because of the filth and the stench. This left Ibu Lipah, a local resident, feeling rejected and deeply ashamed that her home was branded as "the dirty village." This shame, however, fueled a fierce commitment to spark a change.
The Turning Point
In 2017, Ibu Lipah attended training on Community-Led Total Sanitation. She learned about water safety, sanitation, hygiene, and the psychology of behavioural change. Returning home, she initiated "triggering" sessions to stop open defecation and mobilised local women to build toilets through gotong royong (communal manual labour).
More than 40 women worked together to haul cement, sand, gravel, and PVC piping. These village women trekked through rivers for an hour to reach the settlement. To manage the load, two women would carry a single sack of cement between them—roughly 50kg per person.
"People thought we were being paid by WVI, but I explained that there was no payment. It came from our hearts because we wanted our hamlet to stop open defecation," she said passionately, recalling the weight of the public suspicion and rejection she faced at the time.
A Community Transformed
The men were initially sceptical, but seeing the women’s determination, they eventually joined the effort. They hauled materials, set up tents, and stood guard at night at the edge of the hamlet to protect the supplies, as vehicles could not reach the site. They also dug the pits for the septic tanks. After three months of village-wide cooperation, every household in the hamlet finally had its own toilet.
Beyond the physical infrastructure, the village government issued a local regulation banning defecation in the river. The Health Office later conducted door-to-door verification, confirming that 100% of the population was using household toilets. This transformation was a milestone in the hamlet’s history. The declaration of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status put the hamlet on the map, attracting visitors from neighbouring villages, districts, and the wider regency.
Sustainable Progress
This success cemented long-term behavioural changes. Residents began to prefer the comfort of their own homes; the river became cleaner and safer for children to play and bathe in. Building on this momentum, the community worked with WVI to establish a clean water network. The experience of working together on sanitation made this next phase much easier.
Once the water network was completed, every house had its own tap. The system is now managed by a hamlet water committee. Each family pays for their water based on usage, and the funds collected have grown into a micro-loan scheme. The hamlet now has its own budget for various activities.
As the community's mindset shifted, other WVI and government programmes—such as nutrition posts, community gardens, and positive parenting workshops—were successfully integrated.
A Lasting Legacy
Even after the sanitation and water issues were resolved, Ibu Lipah did not stop. She continues to promote better parenting, hygiene, and the importance of safe drinking water. She personally checks the water bottles children bring to school to ensure the water has been boiled. She also encourages mothers to take toddlers to the health post (Posyandu) and manages the community nutrition gardens. Consequently, cases of severe malnutrition have vanished from the village.
The transformation is absolute. The environment is cleaner, and the children are healthier. Outsiders no longer fear visiting. In fact, a teacher from outside the area has finally agreed to live in the hamlet.
"This village has changed. A district government official told me that when he visited. While not perfect, it is now a decent place to live. This is all thanks to the support of the community, WVI, and the government," Ibu Lipah remarked during the closing ceremony of WVI’s Melawi office in September 2025.
Ibu Lipah is a testament to how one woman can lead a revolution through access to clean water and sanitation. She is one of many mothers in WVI’s assisted areas who have been moved to create a healthier, better life. Water and sanitation were simply the gateways to that change.
Happy World Water Day.
Author: Mita J. Sirait (WASH Specialist Wahana Visi Indonesia)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)