Morung Express Feature
Poilwa | March 13
On a pristine March 11 morning, parents and students in Poilwa village gathered happily at the St. Francis de Sales (SFS) School for a toilet dedication in the school. For outsiders, the idea of dedicating a toilet may sound preposterous; however, for the students and the parents, the construction of a toilet with water facilities is a matter of joy and celebration.
“The toilet is a big thing for us. Cleanliness and good health starts from the toilet. It is our responsibility to build toilets but to even contribute Rs. 1000 is a big amount for the villagers,” said Naukosing Rau, a village elder.
He also mentioned that earlier, the village had received tarpaulins and bamboos from the Nagaland State Government to build toilets for the school children but it did not last long as the tarpaulin tore off.
Another villager said in the absence of a toilet, the school children were compelled to relieve outside the school premises which is surrounded by forests. This was known to attract Mithuns to intrude inside the school campus often creating chaos, the villager pointed out.
The newly constructed toilets, which is a joint community venture of the people of Poilwa, Asha Frankfurt and Prodigal’s Home was initiated by Vitono Gugu Haralu basing on her personal experience, when during a big celebration in Poilwa, she witnessed the school children urinating in the open.
Although in attendance at the celebration were “educated and well-dressed people,” what pained Haralu was the fact that these people could not even build a toilet for the children. “It is funny to be dedicating a toilet but that is where our health begins,” Haralu admitted.
Raing Rau, a parent narrated how the whole community had worked together to build the toilet for the children. “The school children were curious when they saw us constructing the toilets together. We also maintained that they will not be allowed to use the toilet if they dirty it,” laughed Rau.
It took a week for the community to complete the construction with the contribution of almost a hundred volunteers. Each day around 20 to 30 villagers would come to help in the construction.
Haralu recalled how her friends had laughed over the idea of constructing toilets and dedicating it. However, the social reformer who is known for working immensely in rural areas and capacity building among young Nagas, said, “They don’t know because they have never experienced it.”
The toilet is named Kekobata, which in their indigenous language means ‘Work of love’ and in the foundation stone is written, “For the Rights of the Children to live a decent life with dignity and a sense of pride for good health.”
One of the major factors contributing to the health of children is clean and hygienic toilets which can come a long way in reducing the infant mortality rate in Nagaland which stands at 18 percent- considered low when compared to India’s 40 percent mortality rate.
According to a PTI report dated September 25, 2015, a total number of 1128 villages in Nagaland are to become Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2018. 246 villages have already reached the mark.
Even though Nagaland has committed itself to end open defecation by 2018, many children in rural Nagaland are still deprived of their basic rights to a toilet.
