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Last week Field Ready celebrated the launch of its new locally manufactured latrine for rural communities in Fiji, as part of a new national partnership with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services. The launch was presided over by the Minister of Health Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete.
The first target site for the new latrines is in the Nataisiri area, supporting the Ministry of Health’s Operation Tarova (“Stop It”) program against a typhoid outbreak. Field Ready will provide a total of 50 latrines in 5 remote villages. This will directly assist at least 240 people for years to come and indirectly many more as it reduces the risk of typhoid infection spreading in these communities. This project is supported by UNICEF and the people of the United States of America through USAID funding.
The new design called the Field Latrine, has been endorsed by the MOHMS as the new national standard latrine for rural areas and disaster response, replacing the previous solution of concrete slabs and seats, and is much cheaper, faster to install, more hygienic and durable. It was developed by Field Ready engineers this year with assistance from UNICEF and the Australian Government in partnership with local manufacturers Rotomould Ltd.
Thus far 15 have been installed and welcomed by the village’s 200 residents. The latrines designed by Field Ready were created to be easy to install and maintained. The residents play an important part in the process, by helping to dig the pit and installing the fence that encloses the latrine.
Once this is completed the District Health Inspectors inspect the area and gives the approval for Field Ready to install the latrine. During this time, Field Ready team members provide training on how to install it as well. Depending on the chosen design, the latrines can be used as a simple pit, pour flush or composting toilet.
To mark this occasion Field Ready participated in a traditional ceremony to mark the significance of these first installations and the beginning of the partnership with the Ministry of Health and to thank the elders within the community for their continued support.
Based on the program's success to date, Field Ready has been asked by the Fijian Ministry of Health to provide many more latrines in 2020 to assist national sanitation programs in Fiji. Field Ready will also be working with local manufacturing partner Rotomould Ltd to manufacture the latrines in other Pacific island countries.
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