Just a while ago, students in the government school in Tamil Nadu’s Nellivasal village were forced to go out in the open for defecation. Without any proper toilet facility, they urinated at the corner of the campus building at night, creating a stench in the entire hostel block that made it unbearable to sit in the dining area of the school.
Located in the hilly forest area of the Jawadhu Hills (Eastern Ghats) in Tirupathur district, the tribal village school lacked toilet facilities, owing to its remote location and financial constraints.
This continued until architect Barnala Michael, architect-turned-documentary filmmaker Vishnupriya, and a group of like-minded friends came together to solve the social issue through collective effort and crowdfunding. Keeping the constraints in mind, they adopted an unconventional design approach with unique toilet units and cost-effective construction methods and techniques.
Interestingly, they constructed three toilets and an open bath area that cost Rs 2.5 lakh — a 30 percent reduction in total cost compared to conventional construction methods. The technique allowed them to complete the project in just one month despite the limited financial and human resources.
We sat down with Michael to understand how they embarked on this mission to construct low-cost, sustainable toilets in the government school of Nellivasal.
The journey began when Vishnupriya came across a heartbreaking news report about a young girl who tragically lost her life due to health complications from constipation, caused by the absence of toilets in her school. This disturbing incident propelled her into action.
She had already been working on a documentary ‘Meel’ to show solutions for waste management for the past seven years. So she came up with the idea of constructing low-cost eco-friendly toilets for the government school in Nellivasal village. After initial discussions with a group of like-minded people and friends, they approached Michael to devise a plan to solve the issue.
“Most of us who were part of the project come from areas of water scarcity. We have known the issues of toilet facilities and the pain of open defecation. This problem aggravates during the rainy season. This was a common emotional pain point, which motivated us to come together to solve this problem,” says Michael.
This dire situation where children were forced to defecate in the open due to the lack of proper facilities, struck a chord with Michael and led the team to focus their efforts on the government school in Nellivasal village.
“The reason why we chose to construct toilets in Nellivasal village was because of its difficult terrain where construction of toilets was challenging and school children were forced to defecate in the open. This could be a starting point and prove to be an example for other similar locations,” Michael says.
When the team went to the government school in Nellivasal, they found a toilet was constructed on the premises, mainly used by the teachers and girls during school hours. However, Michael says, there was no toilet facility for hostellers. “When we enquired, we got to know that the school had been trying to get funds for construction of toilets but they could not succeed,” he adds.
The team sought permission from the forest department to construct low-cost and sustainable toilets for the school. “We were given a month’s time. We found that mobilising construction materials and workers was difficult in the area. So, we needed to be smart in building toilets which will require less cost, time, and resources,” he adds.
Interestingly, the project was entirely funded by volunteers of the Cuckoo organisation.
From design, cost, technique: constructing unique toilets
After preparing a rough design for toilets in October 2023, Michael and the team started constructing the toilets. They employed innovative construction techniques, opting for ferrocement structures to reduce costs and expedite the building process.
“Ferrocement construction technique is a low-cost method that is less labour intensive. In this, reinforced cement is applied over a chicken metal mesh. Additionally, we used polycarbonate sheet, a translucent material that allows natural light and outside visibility that could enable students to feel slight resemblance with their old ways,” he says.
The team also used a leech pit system for waste management, turning human waste into natural manure for the school’s garden. “In this system, two pits are connected to the toilet and they are built such that water gets drained through its walls and solid waste remains in the pit. When one pit gets filled, excreta is collected in the next pit. Meanwhile, solid waste in the former turns into manure in that period,” he says.
Michael explains, “Water is the main medium for the growth of microbes. When you remove water from solid waste, it does not cause any bad smell. Pits that have porous walls permit the contents to seep into the ground. Sawdust is applied to arrest the bad smell and microbial growth. It is a sustainable and natural way of waste management.”
Besides, Michael says they have designed the toilets in such a way that draws the interest of students who were accustomed to open defecation. “We built toilets in oval round shapes and adorned with vibrant colours to attract the students to use the enclosed space,” he says.
This eco-friendly approach not only addressed hygiene concerns but also promoted sustainable practices within the community. The project was completed by November 2023.
The impact of their work was immediate and profound. The newly constructed toilets not only provided essential facilities but also triggered a behavioural change among the students. Built mainly for the boys’ hostel at the campus, currently about 80 rural students including boys and girls are using these toilets.
Sriram, a Class 12 student of the school, tells The Better India, “Earlier when there were no toilets, I would face a lot of problems, especially during the night. As it is a forest area, I feared going out for urination. These new toilets have brought immense comfort to us. I really like the structure of the toilets and also the paintings made on them!”
Meanwhile, Michael who visited the school a month back, shares, “I found the toilets were functioning properly. Now, there is no such issue of bad smell on campus and children are leading a regular school life. The improved sanitation conditions enhanced cleanliness, punctuality, and overall well-being of the school community.”
“We hope that the idea of eco-toilets spreads to schools in other parts of the country where students lack access to toilets. With our example, we hope to inspire architects, engineers, school teachers, and government officials to provide dignity to our students, protect the environment, and embrace sustainability,” he adds.
Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photos: Prem Kumar.
