Maintaining Our Toilets
At The Good Roll, we don't just roll out toilet paper, but we roll with big projects too! We allocate 50% of our net profits to building clean toilets in Ghana. We're immensely proud because we've improved the lives of about 178,400 people with more than 230 new toilet units at 14 schools. Oh, and we've also saved more than 35,818 trees!
However, building sanitation facilities is just part of our foundation's work; these facilities also need to be regularly maintained to ensure they continue to have as much positive impact as possible. The Good Roll Foundation has developed a detailed maintenance plan, which is carried out periodically to keep the toilets in tip-top, toilet-tastic condition. In this blog, we dive deeper into our maintenance plan and explain how it contributes to our mission of safe and clean toilets for everyone.
A Focus on Sustainability and Culture
Maintaining these toilets involves a lot, especially since the conditions in the Netherlands and Ghana are very different. We aim to achieve more than just placing toilets; we strive for them to have a sustainable positive impact. That's why we teach local communities and school staff the importance of good maintenance. We provide them with the necessary knowledge and tools to perform this maintenance independently. Moreover, we explain how they can quickly report problems they cannot solve on their own. This way, our foundation can intervene immediately to prevent small issues from becoming bigger. All of this ensures that the toilets remain reliable and safe for everyone who uses them, and continue to make a long-lasting impact.
The Role of Education
A key part of our project is that we regularly visit schools to see the effect of what we do. We ask important questions to check if our new toilets are making a difference: are more girls attending school? Do students and teachers feel safer using the toilets? And are the toilets kept clean so they don't spread diseases? This feedback is really important to us. It helps us to keep improving and ensuring that our facilities have a lasting impact.
Key Aspects of Our Maintenance Plan
The foundation's maintenance plan focuses on three main aspects:
1. Care for Technology and Hygiene: At each toilet, we ensure everything is in perfect order. This means: enough toilet paper, soap, sanitary pads in the kiosk, a small shop we have at the toilets, and other cleaning supplies that are always ready. But we look beyond just hygiene. Does the lock still work? Is water still running through the tap, or are there any leaks? And is everything flowing well, without clogs? This is all super important to us because it ensures everyone, both students and staff, is safe and satisfied. They shouldn't have to worry when using the toilet.
2. Biodigesters: Bio whattt? You might be thinking! Let us explain! These are smart devices we've installed in all our toilets. They work a bit like superheroes: they turn your waste into useful products like fertilizer for plants, fuel, and even building materials like bricks. This miracle is made possible by our partner Safiasana. We keep a close eye on these biodigesters and check them regularly to ensure they keep functioning perfectly. The beauty of biodigesters is that they help us waste almost nothing. Even human waste can yield something good! This way, every toilet visit contributes to a more sustainable world.
3. Training and Responsiveness: We teach the cleaning teams and people at school how to quickly spot small issues and tell us immediately if something big is wrong. This way, we can ensure that everything always works well, keeps working, and remains safe. This is our way of always being one step ahead in maintaining our toilets.
Expansion and Collaboration
As we look back on our foundation's successes, we also look forward to expanding our impact. This year, we plan to support another 10 schools and are constantly seeking partners and local organizations in Ghana that support our WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) projects. The Good Roll Foundation's commitment goes beyond building toilets; it's about building a foundation for better health, education, and opportunities.
