It was time
“When my children started suffering from different diseases, I decided it was time to build a toilet to protect their health. Otherwise, they would always suffer from these diseases.”
Fatema has three daughters. Here with her youngest, Fatema knew it was time to find a lasting sanitation solution for her family.
When Fatema’s three daughters suffered from illnesses like typhoid and dysentery far too many times, she decided it was time for a solution to her family’s need for an improved toilet. But, given the cost of toilet construction, she questioned how she and her husband could afford to build a toilet on their property.
“At that time, the children often had diarrhea, dysentery, and vomiting. It was very difficult.”
The hole dug in the ground that the family used overflowed on rainy days, leading to an outpouring of unwanted contaminates upon the ground where they walked. And even when the rains were not a factor, the stagnant, exposed matter in the make-shift toilet often drew flies and mosquitoes which spread germs.
Bangladesh’s high need for water and sanitation improvements, along with its healthy microfinance sector and government support, make it an ideal market for Water.org’s financial solutions to the water crisis.
When she felt her family had no way out of their sanitation crisis, a neighbor shared a possible solution with Fatema.
To help increase her family's income, Fatema fishes with her mother-in-law and sells the fish at their local market.
“I heard about TMSS from one of my neighbors…That’s how I learned about their loans and was able to receive a loan to build a proper toilet.”
Fatema noticed a representative from a local bank, TMSS, often visited the home of her friend. When Fatema inquired about the reason for the meetings, her friend explained that she was just making her weekly payments on her loan for the new toilet she had built. Fatema learned of the affordability of a toilet and met with the bank representative the next week. Following that meeting, Fatema and her husband were on their way to receive a loan to fund the construction of their own household toilet.
Fatema's new toilet facility helps provide her family health and safety.
Fatema never thought it would be possible to construct a toilet for her family on their property. Without a loan, she and her husband could never have afforded what the family so desperately needed. Thanks to your support and the work of our local financial partners, Fatema was able to finally build a toilet to protect her children’s health.
Fatema looks forward to the healthy, bright future ahead of her family.
