On behalf of the parish priest and the entire membership of our church, I write to thank you for your great contribution to the body of Christ. Thank you for building a latrine to aid the whole community -- preventing us from going into the bush for toileting. This will help us greatly with our sanitation when we have seminars, meetings, and other church activities. This contribution of yours will never be forgotten by our community. God will continue to bless and strengthen you. 

  -- Daniel F. Atabor, Catechist/Leader, St. Peter's Catholic Church Izom 

Needing to defecate openly, with no access to a toilet, infringes on human safety and dignity. When seasonal rains come, the excrement spreads across the countryside -- infecting many people with diarrheal diseases. This was the situation in the Izom community, including among members of the local St. Peters Catholic Church. Some cases of diarrhea had become so severe that severely dehydrated children died.

Meanwhile, with no suitable toilets, many people were no longer going to church and children were similarly not attending school. But recently, through the generous assistance of our donors, Lifewater built public toilets at the church that are serving the entire community. Residents told us they are confident the toilets will lead to improved health and hope.