EcoSan Training at SOIL's Composting Site in Trutier

At SOIL, we value education and information sharing because one of our ultimate goals is to assist in spreading EcoSan technology throughout Haiti. We dream of seeing a toilet in every home, and EcoSan for all. Yesterday at our site in Trutier, we were happy to share some of our experiences in EcoSan with a group of 22 people living in Croix-des-Bouquets (just north of Port-au-Prince). The group, made up primarily of farmers, came out for the training session to learn about the differences between SOIL’s centralized composting methods, based on a drum based waste collection system, and more permanent double vault toilets.

SOIL Sanitation Director Baudeler Magloire leading the training session.

Each of the 22 participants will be receiving a double vault toilet for their homes, to be constructed by the French Red Cross. During the training, everyone was excited to hear about SOIL’s composting system, and to see the rich, beautiful compost for themselves. The double vault toilets that the group will be receiving can also provide a nutrient-rich agricultural product, and yesterday’s training focused specifically on the differences between that product and finished SOIL compost from one of our waste treatment sites. SOIL’s composting method rigorously adheres to international standards for eliminating pathogens found in human wastes, ensuring that the final compost is safe to use. For people using the double vault system, we recommend using the composted wastes to plant things like fruit bearing trees or other edible plants that avoid direct contact between the edible fruits and the soil. This negates the risk associated with any pathogens that might be left in the decomposed human wastes. Additionally, the training stressed the importance of proper toilet use and maintenance, and good hygiene habits. Toilet maintenance is incredibly important, especially for people hoping to eventually re-use decomposed wastes.

The results of yesterday’s training session were great, with the 22 participants leaving excited about compost and the agricultural potential of their new toilets. SOIL staff were happy to engage with the group about the potential for EcoSan to bolster agricultural production and provide numerous benefits to the families using an EcoSan toilet.

The participants were really excited to see SOIL's beautiful compost at Trutier.