To combat open defecation and raise awareness about sanitation and hygiene, the Otjozondjupa Regional Council handed over 109 pit latrine toilets in the Tsumkwe Constituency.

The construction of the facilities provides toilet access to four villages in Tsumkwe, benefiting the elderly and people with disabilities.

The toilets were constructed through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.

Charlton Richter, Deputy Director for Rural Services at the Otjozondjupa Regional Council, stated, "We want to ensure that the communities and the entire village are sensitised to using proper toilets, specifically the VIP pit latrine toilet that we see here. This is to prevent any potential contamination of the underground water. This will help ensure that, in the long run, the village is declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). The primary aim of constructing toilets in rural areas is to promote sanitation and hygiene."

Tsumkwe Constituency Councillor Johannes Hausiku encouraged the communities to take care of the facilities.

"We are trying to educate our community members to use these toilets because we observe that they don't use many of the toilets we built in the past. So, we teach them how to use and clean the toilets before giving them out."

Meanwhile, the Headman of Duinpos, Erastus N//ao, and community member Lydia Oza thanked the government for providing them with the toilets.

"I am grateful for that. We are happy because we have always relieved ourselves in the bushes, and at night, you won't know what's there. We are therefore very happy that the toilets are closer to us, and it's better now."

The 23 toilets built at Duinpos Village, Nhoma 15, //Auru 9 and 62 Ondamapehi were built for N$1.1 million.