Area of Focus: Environment
Partnership agency: World Toilet Organization
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When Jack Sim founded the World Toilet Organization (WTO) in Singapore in 2001, it brought to the fore a hitherto taboo topic, and forced a re-look at…toilets. “I know that in many cultures, it’s impolite to talk about toilets. Given a choice, many people will even pretend that certain basic human functions do not exist.”
“Yet, toilets are an integral part of hygiene and sanitation, and have implications on so many aspects of life – ranging from health to the environment to how ‘cultured’ or ‘developed’ a society is,” he adds.
The WTO is a global body for coordinating and promoting sanitation issues. Its aims to raise awareness for better toilet standards in both developed and developing countries, and serves as a platform for toilet associations, related organisations and people to converge for the exchange of ideas and information.
There are currently 50 members from over 40 countries.
The Lien Foundation, which believes in capacity building and environmental sustainability, shares similar philosophies with the WTO. As a change agent, the Lien Foundation advocates fundamental change from within. To ensure long-term continuity, it provides the community with the necessary know-how to maintain, and possibly replicate, the model. The Foundation has been sponsoring the operating costs of the WTO since 2005.
Sim’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2004, he was conferred the Singapore Green Plan 2012 award by Singapore’s National Environment Agency for his efforts in helping the environment. In 2005, he was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the Geneva-based Schwab Foundation for his role in bringing to international awareness, the need for cleaner public toilets and access to proper sanitation facilities.
The WTO works towards establishing environmental sustainability in its projects. “We see sanitation as the way to achieve it,” says Sim, “our track record over the last five years speaks for itself.”
The projects undertaken by the WTO fall into four broad categories:
- Training and capacity building
The WTO started the first school on sanitation – the World Toilet College – in August 2005. Curricula cover the full spectrum of sanitation and related topics, with the aim to raise the standard of toilets. Activities span seminars to short courses targeted largely at the industry.
- Humanitarian projects
The Lien Foundation has been actively involved with the WTO in humanitarian projects.
In the tsunami-stricken region of Sri Lanka, it introduced an innovative sanitation system which is cost effective and easily replicable, meeting the community’s urgent needs.
- Conferences & Exhibitions
Through events like conferences, exhibitions, expositions and forums, the WTO brings together like-minded organisations to network, exchange ideas and share experiences. From only one World Toilet Summit in 2001, there are now two such annual events – one held in Asia, the other outside Asia. The World Toilet Summit remains a global platform that is conference-led, whilst the World Toilet Expo & Forum focuses on regional and local solutions for the restroom industry of the host country.
- Public education and awareness
The WTO’s public education and awareness outreach leverages on the World Toilet Day on 19 November, and comprises a series of programmes to enhance the standard of, and experience with, toilets.
Do you know:
- A person visits the toilet some 2,500 times a year, or six to eight times a day.
- Most toilets are designed incorrectly – eg. females take three times as long as males when they visit the toilet, yet toilet cubicle numbers tend to be similar for both genders.
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