Durban - A KZN North Coast school recently began a project to eradicate pit latrines within schools.
Sogidi Primary School, near uThongathi, hopes this initiative can be followed by other schools.
Principal Nokuthula Sibisi teamed up with executive coach and business and leadership development specialist Mark Fraser-Grant to work on restoring safety and dignity within the school.
Fraser-Grant said Sibisi always had the vision to eradicate the school’s pit latrines and began their programme by first researching companies and donors who could realise this vision.
‘’We settled on Innovative Methology, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) led by Pradeep Boodoo, that builds and renovates schools, health care and community facilities,’’ said Fraser-Grant.
Fraser-Grant said the Victor Daitz Foundation came on board when they learnt that Sogidi was part of the Citizen Leader Lab network, and aided with funding.
‘’The foundation wanted to support principal Sibisi because they knew her heart was in the right place. They knew she previously had exposure to leadership through Citizen Leader Lab, and they were impressed by how well she took care of her school,’’ Fraser-Grant said.
While tragedies involving children dying in pit latrines or being exposed to dangerous gases continue to happen nationwide, most under-resourced schools still face the challenge of eradicating them.
In 2014, five-year-old Michael Komape fell into a pit latrine and drowned at Mahlodumela Primary in Limpopo. Three years later, Siyamthanda Mtunu died after the walls of a pit toilet collapsed on him at Dalasile Primary School in the Eastern Cape. Tragedy struck again when in 2018, another five-year-old, Lumka Mketwa, fell into a pit latrine at Luna Primary in the Eastern Cape.
Sibisi believes the leadership skills she gained on the programme were instrumental in attracting the funds and services to commence the project.
She said: ‘’The workshops really helped me strategise to involve stakeholders and companies in this project. With my new skills and Mark Fraser-Grant’s help, I wrote many proposals explaining the situation at my school, highlighting that the Grade R latrines were soon going to collapse.’’
She believes the programme has excited pupils and staff and is thankful to the community for its participation.
“The school’s morale is changing. The pupils are eager to come to school. Everyone’s self-esteem, dignity and motivation is up. Our community members are not only helping to build the new facilities, but they are also protecting the school from theft and damage. The relationship between Sogidi and the community is really improving,’’ Sibisi said.
The KZN Department of Education was contacted on Wednesday morning to comment on such an initiative. There was no response to several e-mails, WhatsApp and telephonic requests for comment.
The Independent on Saturday