By Alimamy Conteh- Intern, FBC
Easy Solar in partnership with GOAL, on Friday 16th December 2022, launched the Sato safe latrine products at Grafton.
These SATO toilets are made from plastic and easy to install to convert an open pit latrine to a closed pit latrine. This reduces disease transmission from flying insects that come into contact with human waste. It also eliminates the unsightly appearance and odors from open pit latrines and reduces the volume of water needed to flush. The SATO latrine products comprise of a latrine pan (squat) and stool which can also be installed into the concrete.
According to Samuel Kamanda the Products Associate at Easy Solar, health and sanitation are key in any community and these products keep the environment safe from flies that spread diseases and keeps kids safe as its closed and has no smell due to the flap at the base. “The designers used human centered design when developing the product and hence the important targets were that the pan was affordable, adapted to squatting and easy to install and use”, said Kamanda. He emphasized that customers that have been using Easy Solar products, they can get the product on credit.
Making a statement at the launching, the Director of Environment and Health at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mrs. Doris Bah commended the efforts of Easy Solar for bringing these products to Sierra Leone and that the government will support this product so that every household throughout the country will have it. “The Government is concerned about building toilets, but sometimes we lack the right materials to undertake such innovations. This is a big relief for us as this is affordable, strong and safe. They have made life very easy for the people of the Grafton community. She emphasized the need of having this product, because going out at night to use the bushes means you are prone to danger. You can be the victim of rape, ambushed by thieves or victim of snake bites. She concluded by saying that she has been using Easy Solar products for the past 3 years and assured the people that the SOTA product that Easy Solar has brought to the community is strong and durable.
The Councilor at the Grafton Community, Mohamed Lamin Kamara applauded the gesture of Easy Solar and GOAL for bringing such products to their community, as this will limit the rate of diseases as health is wealth. “I guarantee Easy Solar products more than others, because they are reliable, and I can say the same for these Safe Toilet products. The most beautiful thing about this product is that, it is affordable and you can ‘tros’ and pay later”, said the Councilor. He pleaded with the government to build toilets in the community, as there is no public toilet, and that the Government can now make that possible with the Safe Toilet products which Easy Solar through the facilitation of GOAL has brought in the community.“ I will be the first to purchase this Safe Toilet product, because I am happy that Easy Solar is contributing to the health and sanitation of the people, not only on technologies but also, because this is the first community that these Safe Toilet products have been launched”, said Pa Alimamy Sesay, the Chief of Grafton Community. He added that this is nice for the community as people have been defecating around school premises
