2/3 of Africans have no toilets!

[Gamba la Nyoka]

Kwa mujibu wa CNN
two third of Africans have no toilets,

sijui wametumia vigezo vipi kufikia conclusion hiyo, au wanafikiri waafrika wanajisaidia maporini?

 

[Pundit]

Definition yako na yao kuhusu toilet inaweza kuwa tofauti, wao wame idefine toilet vipi?

Wanaweza kukwambia toilet lazima iwe na running water, au pit latrines are not toilets.If they are operating under such definitions then yes, two thirds of Africa do not have toilets. Mind you the population of Africa is mainly rural using pit latrines, even with rural urban migration most migratnts reside in slumlike places like Nairobi's Kibera or some of Dar-es-salaams Madongokuinamas where there is no running water (come to think of it even Sinza does not have running water and some first floor apartments in Upanga require a water pump to have running water!)

From www.dictionary.com

1. a bathroom fixture consisting of a bowl, usually with a detachable, hinged seat and lid, and a device for flushing with water, used for defecation and urination.
2. a lavatory.
3. a bathroom.
4. toilet bowl.
5. a dressing room, esp. one containing a bath.

Lavatory

1. a room fitted with equipment for washing the hands and face and usually with flush toilet facilities.
2. a flush toilet; water closet.
3. a bowl or basin with running water for washing or bathing purposes; washbowl.
4. any place where washing is done.

 

[Tom]

Afrika ina collectors/hunters and normadic 'tribes' nyingi tu, hata Tanzania zipo na watu wote wa hizo tribes hujisaidia porini. Kuna makabila mengine ni ya wakulima lakini pia wana hiyo taboo/culture. Hata Tanzania hatujapata mafanikio ya kufutilia mbali hiyo taboo.

Miji yetu sehemu kubwa haina plan na kuna pit-latrines nyingi tu zisizojengewa/ezekwa ama ambazo unaona kinyesi moja kwa moja na mlango ama hamna ama ni wa gunia na inzi hutembelea kinyesi wapendavyo. Vingi hutegemea mvua inyeshe ili ku-flush (Mwananyamala nk)- hivi standard yake ni sawa na kujisaidia porini.

Tuna safari ndefu Tanzania (Afrika?), lakini wananchi hawapo informed. Ama viongozi wetu wengi wametokea kwenye hizo taboo, hivyo hawaoni kama ni tatizo kubwa. Hata ofisi zao za serikali hazina maji ama toilets.

Sello, mambo ni kwenye ndoo na watu wamejazana.
Hizo theruthi mbili wametuonea aibu tu.

 

[Gamba la Nyoka]

duh! kama huo ndo ukweli basi ukweli unauma!.

 

[Mahesabu]

WAHESHIMIWA .....!WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THESE COLOURLESS PEOPLE..!(white?)ALL THEY HAVE NI NEGATIVE ABOUT AFRICA...darfur,refugees,rwanda,kenya election,bokassa,savimbi,CORRUPTION,BOT,EPA,drc.etc...!
THEY DONT HAVE THE GOOD SIDE OF IT......peace,kilimanjaro,nyumbu automobile assembly plant,good political parties,nyumba za wilaya mbinga zinazoongoza kwa ubora(matofali ya kuchoma),etc.....!BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE THE GOOD SIDE OF IT, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM...!

 

[Dua]

6 in 10 Africans remain without access to proper toilet: poor sanitation threatens public healthWEBWIRE – Friday, March 21, 2008

GENEVA, March 2008 – Sixty-two percent of Africans do not have access to an improved sanitation facility -- a proper toilet -- which separates human waste from human contact, according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation. A global report will be released later this year, however, preliminary data on the situation in Africa was released today as part of World Water Day 2008. The Day, built around the theme that “Sanitation Matters" seeks to draw attention to the plight of some 2.6 billion people around the world who live without access to even a toilet at home and thus are vulnerable to a range of health risks.

Using proper toilets and hand-washing - preferably with soap - prevents the transfer of bacteria, viruses and parasites found in human excreta which otherwise contaminate water resources, soil and food. This contamination is a major cause of diarrhoea, the second biggest killer of children in developing countries, and leads to other major diseases such as cholera, schistosomiasis, and trachoma.

"Sanitation is a cornerstone of public health" said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General. "Improved sanitation contributes enormously to human health and wellbeing. We know that simple, achievable interventions reduce the risk of contracting diarrhoeal disease by a third. Sanitation matters because a toilet at home spares a family from illness, health care expenses, and time lost from work and school"

“Nearly forty per cent of the world’s population lacks access to toilets, and the dignity and safety that they provide" said Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director. “The absence of adequate sanitation has a serious impact on health and social development, especially for children. Investments in improving sanitation will accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and save lives.”

Improving access to sanitation is a critical step towards reducing the impact of these diseases. It also helps create physical environments that enhance safety, dignity and self-esteem. Safety issues are particularly important for women and children, who otherwise risk sexual harassment and assault when defecating at night and in secluded areas.

Also, improving sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene in schools benefits both learning and the health of children. Child-friendly schools that offer private and separate toilets for boys and girls, as well as facilities for hand-washing with soap, are better equipped to attract and retain students, especially girls. Where such facilities are not available, girls are often withdrawn from school when they reach puberty.

In health-care facilities, safe disposal of human waste of patients, staff and visitors is an essential environmental health measure. This intervention can contribute to the reduction of the transmission of health-care associated infections which affect 5 to 30 percent of patients.

Although WHO and UNICEF estimate that 1.2 billion people worldwide gained access to improved sanitation between 1990 and 2004, an estimated 2.6 billion people - including 980 million children – had no toilets at home. If current trends continue, there will still be 2.4 billion people without basic sanitation in 2015, and the children among them will continue to pay the price in lost lives, missed schooling, in disease, malnutrition and poverty.

“The focus on sanitation is fundamental to human beings,” says Pasquale Steduto, UN-Water chairman. “MDG target on sanitation is seriously lagging behind schedule. The entire UN System has a shared responsibility in mobilizing concrete actions toward its achievement; investments must increase immediately.” UN-Water is the coordinating mechanism of the UN agencies, programmes and funds that play a significant role in tackling global water and sanitation concerns.

Hili ndio linalosemwa, nafikiri mwanzishaji wa hii mada hakufafanua.

 

[Augustine Moshi]

Kwa mujibu wa CNN
two third of Africans have no toilets,

sijui wametumia vigezo vipi kufikia conclusion hiyo, au wanafikiri waafrika wanajisaidia maporini?

May be they don't need them. They hardly eat!

 

[Mkandara]

Jamani ndio ukweli huo!...
Toilet ni kama inavyojieleza hatuwezi ita choo cha shimo toilet.. wala mkokoteni kuitwa Truck (lorry) kwa sababu tu nalo huchukua mizigo.

 

[Augustine Moshi]

Wakome kabisa kuzungumzia "vyoo vyetu". Kwanza imenikumbusha Wamasai wanayotucheka sisi wengine tunapojenga nyumba zenye "sehemu ya mavi ya ndani"!

Swala la choo lina dimension ya utamaduni. Kwa Mmasai, ni "aibu" mtu kuacha wageni sitting room kisha unakwenda haja kubwa chumba kinachofuatia!

Tuna wanyama pori wengi sana. Na kila mmoja wao choo chake ni kibaya kuliko cha binadamu. Hakuna tatizo la vyoo vyao. Sisi ni lazima tuwe na vyoo vya aina ya nyumba? Hivyo vyoo vyetu vya siku zote (ambavyo sii vya nyumba) kwanini tukubali kwamba sio vyoo?

Inawezekana theluthi mbili ya Waafrika hawana vyoo vya aina ya nyumba, lakini wana vyoo. Haiwezekani kuishi bila vyoo.

 

[Pundit]

Moshi, toilet na "choo" vinaweza kuwa vitu viwili tofauti.They are talking about toilets, specifically in the western hygienical sense, bowl running water, flush and the whole nine yard.

Mmasai kama ulivyosema anaweza kukuonyesha kichaka akakuambia hiki ndiyo choo.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Hii mbona rahisi sana....harufu ya kinyesi na mkojo inanuka kila kona ya Dar...na hiyo ni mjini. Kijiji kwa babu mtu ukibanwa haja kubwa au ndogo unatafuta kichaka tu halafu unajiachia.....you don't even need a study to figure this one out.

 

[Quemu]

duh! kama huo ndo ukweli basi ukweli unauma!.

Gamba,
Yep ukweli kuluma muno!

Na wala tusiende mbali kwa kuzungumzia ukosefu wa vyoo vijijini ingali sehemu nyingi za Dar msalani ni zoezi. Mpaka leo hii sehemu congested kama Mwananyamala, Buguruni n.k. bado watu wanashare vyoo....tena vya shimo.

kama unafikiri ile myth ya watu kusubiri mvua inyeshe ili wa-release ni ulongo, basi jaribu kutembelea maeneo maeneo. Kuna tofauti kubwa kati ya maji ya mvua na maji ya chooni..

 

[Ngao]

Shukran sana kwa hoja za Pundit, Dua na Moshi! Ila Dua ametusaidia zaidi kutuletea hiyo habari yenyewe, kwani hata mie nilishaanza kufadhaishwa nayo.
Uweli ni kwamba hili suala la 'toilet' na choo yapaswa tuyaangalie kwa umakini zaidi kwani yana kigezo kikubwa cha utamaduni wa watu. Kwani toilet ni choo?? Lakini kuna suala la kuwa na choo na utaratibu mzima wa kwenda chooni. Jaribu kulinganisha vile vyoo vya mijini vya umma (vya miaka ya sabini, na hata vingine vya sasa hivi) jinsi vilivyokithiri uchafu na hatari zake za kueneza maradhi ya mlipuko kwa upande mmoja na utaratibu wa wakazi wa shamba wa kutumia jembe kujichimbia mashimo ya dharura haja inapotokea wakamaliza haja zao na kufukia vizuri na kunawa mikono kwa upande mwingine.
Kwa hiyo tunapolijadili hili suala tuyaweke maanani yote hayo. Jaribu kufikiria umejikuta uko huko bara vijijini, unafanya utafiti wako hata kama ni wa post graduate ya masuala ya afya, umejikuta uko pahala hakuna hiyo toilet wala lavatory, umebanwa na haja, una vichaka na labda kwa bahati tissue, huna hata hilo jembe jirani. Nambie, utaanza kutheorize mambo ya toilets na matumizi yake sahihi?
Lakini suala lilikuwa kuikubali hiyo hoja ya wanahabari kama chanya na iliyostahili kuchapishwa, au ni kuwazushia waafrika kiuonevu, sio? Naona ni hoja ya msingi tu ambayo haihitaji kutuchanganya. Kwa sababu kwa minajili ya habari yenyewe, wala si Afrika pekee, bali hata sehemu zingine duniani ambazo huo utmaduni wa toilets haujaweza kuenea.

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Hamna cha utamaduni hapa! Mbona tunapoambiwa ni asilimia kumi tu wenye access na umeme hatutafuti tofauti ya umeme wao na umeme wetu? Sanitation ni eneo ambalo tumelipuuzia kwa muda mrefu sana na haya ndiyo malipo yake. Mji wa Dar es Salaam, wenye wakazi zaidi ya milioni 3, hauna Waste Treatment Plant wala extensive sewer system tunategemea nini? Tunatumia septic tanks na soak pits ( ambazo zimebuniwa kwa matumizi ya mashambani) kwenye high density plots, sehemu za kariakoo, manzese n.k wanashirikiana vyoo ambavyo wala sio VIP bali ni basic mashimo (pit latrines) na wengine bila shaka wanajisaidia kwenye rambo!Tumefikia wakati ambapo badala ya kutafuta solution ya pesistent water shortages Chuo Kikuu tunawajengea pit latrines! Huko vijijini ni wangapi wenye vyoo (na wote humu tunajua choo ni nini)? Ukitilia maanani jinsi idadi ya watu inavyozidi kuongezeka na mabadiliko ya lishe hiyo solution ya kujisaidia maporini haiko sustainable. Hapana, ukweli ndio huu na ni aibu kubwa kwetu. Basi badala ya kulalama lalama kuwa hawatupendi tufanye juhudi za dhati kutuondoa kwenye hali hii. Majibu yapo, yanawezekana lakini hatuna political will! Aliyetoa hizi takwimu ametusaidia sana na sasa kazi kwetu!

Amandla!

 

[Masanja]

Tutaendelea "kuangalia hoja kwa makini" lakini ukweli upo pale pale. The truth is, sanitation achilia mbali Africa, kwa Tanzania ni tatizo kubwa unfortunately no body cares! nendeni hata maofisini hapa hapa Dar...hali inatisha! Kwanza naamini hizo data zimetupendelea lakini the situation is worse than that! Personally sijawahi kuona kuona kijijini kwetu kama kuna hizi modern toilets..kama zipo hazizidi 1%. na hiyo 1% ni chafu hakuna maelezo.... Thats reality. na mwingine aje hapa aseme kwao ni vipi....tuache utani we are in deep shit!

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Thats reality. na mwingine aje hapa aseme kwao ni vipi....tuache utani we are in deep shit!

Kweli tupu, mkuu....kweli tupu! Truer words have never been said!

 

[Mtanzania]

Laiti kila mwana JF hapa, angehakikisha yeye na familia yake wana choo kwa maana ya choo, huenda hiyo takwimu ingelikuwa tofauti.

Lakina ukipita Dar kwa wajanja wa mjini, unakuta maji ya choo yanatililika kwenye mifereji. Mimi huwa najiuliza hivi hizi shule tunazosoma zinatufundisha nini?

Usipoweza kutatua mazingira yanayokuzunguka, huna haki ya kusema umesoma.

Sio lazima vyoo kwa maana ya West, lakini lengo la choo ni kuhakikisha mtu anayekuja baada yako haoni tena kinyesi chako. Enzi za mtu ni afya, Nyerere alifanikiwa kwa kiasi kikubwa sana kuhakikisha kila familia ina choo, bahati mbaya wamekuja wajanja wa mjini, tumerudi hatua kumi nyuma.

Hili pamoja na kuilaumu serikali lakini sisi kama watu lazima tu take initiatives, hakuna sababu ya kuzungukwa na uchafu. Ukizungukwa na uchafu ni uzembe wako binafsi pamoja na akili yako (samahani kama nimetumia neno kali sana) lakini hili la uchafu Dar mimi linaniudhi sana.

 

[Gamba la Nyoka]

Hii mbona rahisi sana....harufu ya kinyesi na mkojo inanuka kila kona ya Dar...na hiyo ni mjini. Kijiji kwa babu mtu ukibanwa haja kubwa au ndogo unatafuta kichaka tu halafu unajiachia.....you don't even need a study to figure this one out.

kuna rafiki yangu mmoja nilipomueleza kuhusu ishu hii akasema hizo statistics mbona siyo ajabu!, jamaa anadai anakumbuka enzi hizo anasoma skuli, vyoo vyao vilikuwa haviendeki, ukiingia chooni lazima uvue shati otherwise ukitoka tu shati lote linanuka kinyesi,jamaa akadai kulikuwa kuna kichaka near by huko ndo wanafunzi walipokuwa wanashusha haja zao, jamaa anadai tena sometimes mnakutana wengi na stori mnapiga kama kawaida huku mkishusha mambo

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Tatizo ni kuwa katika density levels za sehemu nyingi za makazi yetu inabidi serikali ( ya mitaa au kuu) inabidi iwajibike katika suala la saniation. Bila kuwa na centalized system katika sehemu kama Mwananyamala, Buguruni na kwengine tatizo hili litabaki kuwepo. Pit latrines (VIP or otherwise) zinachangia ku'comtaminate' ground water na maji yanayopita kwenye mabomba mabovu ambayo ndiyo tunayotatumia majumbami mwetu. Nakubali kuwa kuna haja ya kubadilika kitamaduni katika jamii yetu na kuchukia hali hii kwa dahti. Pengine hapo ndipo tutaweza kushinikiza serikali zetu kutoa kipaumbele kwenye suala la sanitation kama vile wanavyofanya kwenye suala la maji safi!

 

[Gamba la Nyoka]

kumbe basi tungefanya juhudi katika suala hili la vyoo, tusingekuwa na milipuko ya mara kwa mara ya kipindu pindu, tatizo la typhoid lisingekuwa kubwa sana,
kuna wakati Tanzania mtu ukiwa na malaria kuna hatari ya kuwa na typhoid at the same time, kumbe sababu inawezekana inachangiwa na haya mambo ya sanitation.na gharama ya kutibu ugonjwa kama wa typhoid ni kubwa sana, kuepuka gharama hii ni vyema tukatatua tatizo la vyoo