2022 World Toilet Day: When Sewage Disposal Becomes Everyone’s Duty

The United Nations World Toilet Day, which is celebrated on November 19, had as theme this year in Cameroon, “Underground water and sanitation: What individual environmental measures accessible to everyone?” At the global level, the theme was “Making the invisible visible.” To mark the day, the “Association nationale des Toilettes pour tous au Cameroun,” held a sports walk in Yaounde on Saturday, November 19, 2022.
“It went very well! We were surprised at the number of people who turned out to join us in the sports walk for the cause of sanitation. Over 500 people took part in the walk. They came from the International Youth Fellowship, IYF, Seca, AFPECC, FEDHEAC, the National Institute of Youth and Sports, INJS, the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy, MINEE, the Ministry of Public Health, CREJEBA, CEREJEBA, the Yaounde City Council, ANT-CMR, and the “Association de femmes Gogo de Bahouan,” said Mrs. Tall’a nee Djuikouo Ndeffo Christine Flore, President of the “Association nationale des Toilettes pour tous au Cameroun.”
“INJS brought along at least 200 people. We saw how Cameroonians were ready to give their all for the cause of sanitation. They were not only happy to march, but also very curious to understand the cause. Many came not knowing what the day was all about, but later understood. They did the long walk from the Bastos Rounabout down to the Ministry of Public Health and listened the advice that was given. That is why many came to me asking what they could do to support us,” Ndeffo Christine explained.
She said the walk was sponsored by members of the “Association de femmes professionnelles de l’eau et de l’environnement du Cameroun,” AFPECC. Who made a big contribution in ensuring that the day was a success. It was also sponsored by Seca and the “Association nationale des Toilettes pour tous au Cameroun.” According to Tall’a nee Djuikouo, the problem of toilets is everyone’s duty. “Our association believes that the taboo about toilets must be broken. It is not an individual’s fight. We need to come together so that information on the problems with toilets is shared. We need to work with government and the people, and talk continuously about toilet problems….,” she counselled. 
“Also, toilets in public offices should be made accessible to users and not locked up.  Toilets should be available, clean and constructed according to the norms such so that underground water is not polluted and biodiversity is protected. Climate change crisis is partly as a result of the poor management of toilets. We should be able to treat faecal waste. For now, there are only two such stations in the country – Yaounde and Bangante. How are the other towns and cities doing?” Mrs. Tall’a nee Djuikouo Ndeffo Christine Flore questioned.  
“The International Toilet Day concerns all of us. The recent cholera epidemic in some parts of Cameroon was the result of the poor management of our toilets, poor water drainage and management of organic matter. To me, the day is so important that it deserves better media attention, especially as some of our neighbourhoods and offices do not have ...