Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) in Somalia: “Shido la aan ayaa laxaaaraa, aniga iyo ceeb, cabsi isdeynay, wiilkaan Sodahda u ahay iyo anigu labo musqulood ban kala aadnaa” said Mama Ceeblo, meaning “No stress and pain, I am free from fear and gossip, my son in-law and I have two separate latrines”.

 

CLTS is an approach which helps rural communities to understand the ill effects of open defecation and empower them collectively to come up with solutions to eradicate unsanitary conditions. Dr. Kamal Kar, the founder of CLTS Foundation, is the pioneer of this approach.

 

Norwegian Church Aid / Kirkens Nødhjelp is implementing a project supported by UNICEF where eight communities have been triggered on CLTS. It’s essential to educate these communities about the serious health implications like cholera and diarrhea which are often associated with open defecation. CLTS is cognizant of the fact that until the communities do not change their behaviors towards open fecal discharge, mere toilet construction will not be enough to tackle poor sanitation. This approach has zero subsidy as no external source of motivation will help if the people are not self aware to address this problem.

 

Ceeblo Abdullahi Arab, a resident from one the communities shared her experience when due to lack of a toilet she had to wait till night to relieve herself. Those times were traumatic not only physically but psychologically too. CLTS helped bring about a change in her lifestyle and now along with her son in law, she constructed 2 latrines. She is one of the many success stories that we are proud to share and as the project continues we look forward to change many more lives and get all the eight identified communities Open Defecation Free (ODF).

 

By Dipankar Datta, Ph.D  |  Country Director, Somalia at Norwegian Church Aid / Kirkens Nødhjelp  |  9th September 2022 .