Sinai Composting Latrines

A former Peace Corps Volunteer has boldy returned to the Darién to work as a missionary with a church in Yaviza.  He is passionate about EH work and has the funds to execute some projects.  Alan approached me about building some composting latrines throughout the Comarca Emberá-Wounaan.  Similar to what I want to do, he is promoting starting with pilot latrines.

He asked me to go to the community of Sinai, a Wounaan community, which is about 3.5 hours up river from Alto Playón.  I had been to Sinai with IOM and given talks about composting latrines, and I told Alan I would be happy to go.  He mentioned that he also had the funds to pay a ‘tecnico,’ someone to lead the build.  I mentioned that my Health Committee President Atilio is a great construction worker, and passionate about composting latrines.  Alan and I both saw the value of someone from the Comarca going to a neighboring community and leading the build.  Atilio was hired for $20/day.

As we were waiting for transport at the port, Atilio was chatting with some people who were asking him where he was going.  He told them he was going to Sinai to build composting latrines, and they were intrigued.  Within a second Atilio starts explaining to fellow Emberá folks in his language, what composting latrines are, how to maintain them, and why they are important to one’s health and lifestyle.  It was great because he started speaking with 2 people, and as he got more passionate and showing them pictures, he suddenly had 10 people crowded around him.  I had to sit back and revel in the moment, and even pat myself on the back.

The build went great.  The community members were motivated to work.  I do believe more capacity building is needed however.  Some of the beneficiaries weren’t sure how to use the latrines.  Atilio was able to explain to them how to maintain the latrine, and the composting process.

Wounaan culture is very similar to Emberá culture, however the language is very different.  One thing you can be sure to find in the Comarca Emberá-Wounaan however, is fun loving humble people.  We were fed delicious food and shared many laughs.  The community sits on sandy soil which is perfect for growing avacado and we had our fair share.  Not to mention that further in the Comarca, the jungle gets prettier and the river water becomes crystal clear.  

On the way down river, I saw the most howler monkeys I had ever seen.

Project Number 11-931

Our Health Committee and I solicited 2 government agencies for our Composting Latrine project.  With my President Atilio Guainora, we went into the regional offices of PAN (Social Funds Program) and MINSA (Ministry of Health) in Metetí.  It was great because Atilio and I went to the office together to present the project, and he was excited to be presenting. 

The people at the regional offices know me because early on in service I went and introduced myself.  I also gave them a copy of my Community Environmental Health Development Plan, merging my Community Analysis and a plan for my 2 years of service.

The idea of the Composting Latrine project stuck well with the PAN regional Sub-Director.  She was at first taken aback by the fact we only wanted to start with 4 latrines, and quipped:  “What about the rest of the community?”  We explained to her that composting latrines are a bit more complicated to build, use, and maintain than your average pit latrine.  I also told her that the best way to change sanitation behavior in the community wouldn’t be by soliciting 50 latrines, but by starting small.  She seemed to understand, and was also very receptive to Atilio, appreciating that he was invested in the idea.  The Sub-Director leveled with us and said that the regional offices don’t have any say in which projects get approved.  All projects have to be approved by the Executive Director in Panamá City – a reality of the centralized power in Panamá.  She told us that in order to speed this up we should go to 3 local hardware stores, get the cost of the materials, and take it to Panamá City.

The PAN National Office is in Casco Viejo in an old colonial building, and it was neat to be inside.  Needless to say, trying to get an appointment with the Executive Director was impossible.  After haranguing the secretaries at the office I was able to speak with a higher up in the Finance office.  Recognizing the value of starting with pilot latrines, he passed it onto the Executive Director and eventually to the engineers.  After constant phone calls and 1 more office visit, the engineers told me that they approved the project, and it had been passed back down to the regional office in Metetí.  Alto Playón’s Pilot Composting Latrine Project number is 11-931.

PAN Darién Director Miguel Marin & Health Committee

I set up a meeting with the technical assistant in the office to come to Alto Playón and meet with the Health Committee and take a look at the composting latrine we built with OIM.  She came with the new Director of the Darién – the old Director was fired because he wouldn’t switch to the current political party.  Atilio explained to them how the latrine works, and they were unaware of the model we have.  Composting latrines have been done wrong in other parts of the Darién, leaving the people and government with a bad impression.

Peace Corps was facilitating a meeting between the community and the government.  All parties were excited about the fact that this would be the beginning of a long-term investment on the part of the community and of PAN.  If the community could show that the latrines work well, they could solicit another round of latrines with PAN.  Slowly but surely, other community members would catch on and the Health Committee can continue to manage the project in the same way.  Furthermore,  Proving that these latrines work to PAN also proves to them that Composting Latrines are a viable sanitation option available to them in other communities in the Comarca Emberá-Wounaan and the Darién.  Peace Corps would continue to provide the technical assistance and community organization that is needed. 

We are still a long way from seeing appropriate latrine usage in Alto Playón.  PAN could flake, as if they have known to do in the past.  Projects and agency Directors change in Panamá as quickly as a thunderstorm crashes over your head in the rainy season.  I ask myself, “It’s only four latrines, why don’t you just get the funding yourself?”  After starting the Health Committee, I could have done this 4 months ago.  But I then also ask, “Shouldn’t the Panamanian government be providing basic services to its people?”  If I wanted to do a project in the United States, would I ask an NGO in Panamá to fund it for me?  Not to say that international aid is wrong at all, I believe that the Peace Corps model is ideal for making a longer lasting change.  A change that I might not see in my service, but maybe Atilio’s grandkids will see.