Adiem Celebrates ODF with Pomp and Dance

There was pomp and dance on 1st November 2012, when Adiem village held the first ever Open Defecation Free (ODF) celebration in South Sudan. The occasion was well attended by the local community, the ACTED staff, and the State government officials led by the Minister for Health Hon. Dr. Ang’uiMayuot. Others in attendance included Country Director of Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)Ms.Emilie Poisson, Mr. CletoMawian the Executive Director for Gogrial West County, Mr. Simon Elia the Acting Director General Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development, Mr. Jay Wilkes of USAID, Mr. Philip Otieno and Samuel Riak both of UNICEF. Others in attendance included State Director for HIV/AIDS Dr. Deng Akol, Deputy Director for Water and Sanitation Mr. John Pei Atem, the State focal person for WASH Mr. Michael Akile.

The celebration which was covered by South Sudan Television and Kwajock Radio FM started with a transect walk across the village to see the improved sanitation situation in the village. The men, women and the children of Adiem were happy to take the visitors round the village to show them their latrines. Thereafter they converged at the celebration site to listen to congratulatory speeches which were often interspersed by song and dance by the community. The young and the old were often carried away by their excitement and did a

traditional jig to express their joy.

The event came to a standstill when a group of youth who had just arrived led the community in doing several “laps of honour” to celebrate their achievement. The women too could not resist punctuating the occasion with ululation as a way of expressing their joy.

The guest of honour Hon. Ang’ui while addressing gathering dispelled cultural beliefs that have hindered construction of latrines in the area such as taboo of in laws sharing latrines or pregnant women using latrines. He also said that the belief that use of latrines can bring bad omen to the family is misplaced. “On the contrary it is the use of latrines that will assure you of good health and help prevent a myriad of sanitation related diseases.” He further explained that going to the bush to defecate had many inherent risks including being bitten by scorpions or snakes. He thanked ACTED, UNICEF, government officials and other partners for working together to improve sanitation in the country.

Ms. Emilie Poisson, the Country Director of ACTED congratulated theAdiem community for achievement which she described as a “great momentum that will trigger many more villages to emulate the good example.” The Disaster Operations Specialist of USAID/OFDA, Mr. Wilkes explained how he had often heard people lament that it’s impossible for Community Led Total Sanitation to work in South Sudan, but the experience of Adiem had put such doubts to rest. “I saw the community leaders leading from the front, the women dancing and the children following closely with broad smiles to celebrate their great work together. They have shown us the way, and we now know that ODF is achievable in South Sudan.” He hoped that this example will be replicated by many other villages in the country.

Mr. Otieno of UNICEF, while congratulating the community for their great success, emphasized that the “ODF does not mean the end of the work, it means the beginning of a new experience of using latrines. As we shall continue to eat, so shall we also continue to defecate. This therefore requires continuous vigilance in sustaining and maintaining latrines.” He added that a recent weekly health bulletin indicated that over 6000 people had suffered in one week from acute cases of sanitation related diseases in the country. “This situation demands urgent action from everyone to stop open defecation in the country.” He said.

The celebration was also attended by the neighbouring villages to Adiem. A young man, William Awer from Gung Maker village said at the end of the celebration, that he had learnt about the importance of having a latrine. “When I go home, I will start to construct my latrine.” He said. The Adiem success seems to have lit the fire in other villages as well.

For more information contact,

Philip Otieno

UNICEF WASH specialist,

+211 928852714