Most of us, when we think about the ocean, palm trees and sandy beaches, we think of an idyllic holiday spot. Swimming into crystal clear water and diving under the waves can bring a relaxing sense of calm and quietness to the mind. Whilst the inhabitants of the tiny island of Rambutyo in Papua New Guinea certainly look like they live in an island paradise, the fact they didn’t have a working toilet on the island meant their bathrooms were simply rooms built over the shore.

This meant all the inhabitants went to the toilet directly into the ocean which was having health implications and causing obvious issues with the sanitation of the water they lived so closely to. Women and children had to walk quite a distance to go to the toilet and privacy was also an issue, so you can imagine the relief when a solution was found.

Working with Friends of Rambutso, Clivus Multrum have helped the villages of Rambutyo to install their first community composting toilets. This means that men, women and children will have a healthier standard of sanitation and also a usable compost after a few months of use.

Challenge

Comunidade Edmund Rice (CER) was established in East Timor in the late 1990s and supports health, education and development projects in partnership with five remote communities, including the village of Railaco Kraic.

With some of the lowest economic indicators in the world and where 50% of population is under the age of 18, education has been identified as key to prosperity for the area. Ensuring the retention of teachers in a remote area like Railaco Kraic is therefore incredibly important. However, a limited and unreliable supply of water and no electricity meant that facilities for teachers where very basic.

Solution and Benefits

A squat toilet was replaced with a CM8 toilet from Clivus Multrum. The toilet does not use water and only requires minimal solar energy to power a small fan in the vent pipe. It is safe, hygienic and requires minimal maintenance. Importantly, it has improved living standards for the teachers and continues to function well year after year.

Ikurangi Eco Retreat is an eco-friendly tourist accommodation where luxury meets sustainability. The Resort is located on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. They’ve had 4 x 750-3 Nature Loo composting toilets installed in their glamping tent units since last June.

Nusa Island Retreat is an island playground that’s right in the middle of paradise. Located on Nusa island in the subtropical region north of Papua New Guinea, it’s a remote and beautiful part of the world.