We’re trying to persuade Mosi-Kura to dig pits for household latrines, but they’re not keen. The village just doesn’t believe that latrines and hygiene training will radically improve their health, that they’ll stop suffering from constant diarrhoea and regain lost energy. If I were in their shoes I’m not sure I’d believe it either.
We had the same problem when we started giving latrines to villages in other parts of Ashanti. We asked local people to contribute to the work but they really couldn’t see the point. They kept asking sensible questions like why wouldn’t we give them something useful instead, like televisions or cars. But when the effects finally became apparent we had delegations from many communities asking for latrines.
Unfortunately Mosi-Kura is far away from anywhere we’ve worked before and the message hasn’t reached it. The raw materials, sand and stones and wood, have all been delivered (see picture) and the craftsmen are ready, but no work’s been done. If any of the Ashantis who follow our page come from Mosi-Kura we’d be grateful if they’d have a word with the village hierarchy.
