Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Dikeledi Magadzi will on Saturday hand over girl-friendly toilets and sanitation units to schools and about 400 households in Vhembe District, as part of observing World Toilet Day.
World Toilet Day, which is held annually on 19 November since 2013, is an official United Nations international observation day to inform, engage, raise awareness, and stimulate people to take actions to tackle the global sanitation crisis towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6.2 target.
The initiative seeks to highlight the need to accelerate sanitation delivery, eradicate open defaecation and ensure access to adequate sanitation.
SDG Target 6.2 aims to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations, by 2030.
The department said the sanitation units were constructed in collaboration with WaterAid and the Department of Basic Education, to benefit previously disadvantaged individuals in rural communities, as part of the department’s Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG).
“Limpopo has been identified as the province with lowest access to sanitation services, thus its choice to kick-start the campaign, combining with the Global Handwash campaign that started on 15 October 2022,” the department said in a statement.
The event will be held at Rasivhetshele Senior Primary School in Ha-Mangilasi, Makhado Local Municipality.