Great news comes from the province of Cibitoke, Burundi: the construction of 35 ecological latrines has been completed .
Work began in the fall, and now the community can use these brand new facilities that will bring about a significant improvement in their lives.
This goal was achieved with the Water: Source of Life and Development project in Cibitoke , which involves the three hills of Musenyi, Gicaca and Rukana.
The works – carried out by CASOBU in collaboration with AMU – were supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (for 20 latrines) and the Emilia Romagna Region (for 15 latrines).
Before the ecological latrines
Before the construction of the 35 ecological latrines, families in these communities were forced to dig pits, where human waste was simply collected. But each of these latrines had a limited time of use.
Every time the pit filled up, the family had to dig a new one, in another location. 
This process required time and physical labor, taken away from other activities . Often the cultivable area was damaged because the continuous use of the land to dig new pits reduced the space available for cultivation. A real problem for communities that live off agriculture.
Traditional latrines also posed health risks, as they could contaminate the surrounding soil.
The advantages of new structures
The eco-latrines, foreseen by the Water, Source of Life and Development project in Cibitoke , now offer families in these lands a more sustainable management of waste and help protect the environment and public health .
Plus, from now on, arable land will no longer be eroded by old potholes.
How do the new latrines work?
Human waste no longer seeps into the subsoil, but is collected in two containers located inside the latrine (one for feces and the other for urine). And the bad smells typical of traditional latrines will no longer be felt. The compost thus produced and treated can be used as a natural fertilizer for all the crops on these hills .
There is also another aspect to be highlighted: that of the awareness of the responsible management of human waste . A community that takes charge of sustainability is a community that takes a step forward in its development path.
The project was carried out in collaboration with
