ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Enugu State government in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria has organized a three-day entrepreneurial training on Sanitation Marketing for Toilet Business Owners (TBOs) and Masons in Igboeze North Local Government Area of the State.
This is part of activities put in place by the State government with support from development partners and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) stakeholders to push the state towards attaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Voiceofnaija.ng gathered that the training started on Wednesday, 18 January 2023 and ended on Friday, 20 January, 2023.
The training exercise is aimed at building the capacity of Toilet Business Owners and Masons on entrepreneurship and developmental skills.
It is targeted also at exposing them to various toilet construction technologies using Water Easy Toilet.
Participants were trained to construct models of the sanitation, marketing smart toilet platform and also, to effectively market their products and services in an affordable, profitable and sustainable manner.
The participants drawn from across 17 council wards in Igbo Eze North Local Government Areas in Enugu State, are mostly bricklayer, plumbers and masons, and were trained on the building of different toilet options, Sato pan and Sato stool, to help curb open defecation system in the communities.
It is expected that with support and monitoring from the State and Local governments, those trained will go back to their various communities, trigger the adoption of improved sanitation resulting to all households using decent toilets.
The participants who spoke with our correspondent expressed joy and thanked WaterAid for their intervention and training.
One of the participants, Ugwu Abel Chinedu, said: “This training is very okay. I learnt somethings there, very important. The training will benefit me because I’m a mason man already. This is a form of plumbing work, so I will add the knowledge to my mason, and it will benefit me a lot.”
Another participant, Eke Anselm Uwadiegwu, in his joyful mood, said he learnt many things through the training.
He said: “Our people here are using open toilet defecation, which is causing many sicknesses in the community, with this toilet system, open defecation can be stopped and diseases will be reduced.
“With this training, as a mason man, I can build one in my community, which I know many people can afford because it is cheaper than the modern toilets.”
Also, Ayogu Chijioke, expressed excitement over the training. He told voiceofnaija.ng that with the training, he can build Sato stool, and Sato pan and make money.
“We came for a training here and it makes me so happy, I learnt many things from the training, like the Sato stool and Sato pan. Sato stool is the one you sit on and the Sato pan is the one you squat while using it.
“Both methods will go into market because it is very okay. I like it. Sato stool will be okay for the people that have knee problems. They can sit in it, while the Sato pan is for everybody to make use of,” Chijioke said.