First CIDA-funded Composting Latrine

Gloria Castro gave thanks to God with tears in her eyes for a great blessing, saying that it had been impossible for her and her family to build a composting latrine on their own.
Gloria is a hard working woman who helps support her family and her children’s education by making crafts. Along with her partner and their children, they worked hard to “learn while doing” during the composting latrine project at her home. The family wanted a composting latrine for several reasons. First, they live in an urban area with houses right next door and nowhere to relieve themselves because their neighborhood does not have a sewer system. Second, Gloria and her family have a very small yard, keeping them from constructing a traditional septic tank that would contaminate the environment if placed too close to their home or the neighboring houses.

Gloria is a hard working woman who helps support her family and her children's education by making crafts. Along with her partner and their children, they worked hard to “learn while doing” during the composting latrine project at her home. The family wanted a composting latrine for several reasons. First, they live in an urban area with houses right next door and nowhere to relieve themselves because their neighborhood does not have a sewer system. Second, Gloria and her family have a very small yard, keeping them from constructing a traditional septic tank that would contaminate the environment if placed too close to their home or the neighboring houses.

But today, Gloria ́s family has a composting latrine with many benefits. It does not contaminate the environment, it provides organic fertilizer for the garden, its construction fits within their reduced space, it is hygienic and does not affect their neighbors and, best of all, it will last a lifetime and never fill up as they rotate between the two compartments and use the organic fertilizer.

The family not only learned to build a latrine, they also learned to make, use, and spread organic fertilizer. Gloria gave all the glory to God for this blessing she received through World Renew with funding from DFATD (formerly called CIDA).

As a representative of World Renew in Honduras, I would like to join Gloria in giving thanks to God. Gloria is a community leader with our partner, Stewardship of Christian Ministries (MCM).

Not only did she and her family participate in the composting latrine training, but others who are her fellow leaders from other sectors of her neighborhood attended as well. There were also staff from our partner agencies, Diaconía Nacional, Alfalit, MCM and Harvest; representatives from INFOP, a national vocational training agency’ and the Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock who will multiply this type of training in their own fields.

Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for this blessing!