Only 30% of Sierra Leoneans have access to improved sanitation. The majority of people, especially in rural communities, defecate in the open which is a major cause of diarrhoea and other diseases affecting children – including cholera.

Plan’s Community Led Total Sanitation programme (CLTS) is a cost effective programme that changes behaviour in rural communities, halting open defecation, embracing the installation and use of latrines and
practicing safe hygiene.

11 year old Nyanda from Moyamba explains,“I never used my school latrine because it smelled and was dirty, I  preferred the bush behind my school. Two months ago, some people came and we talked about the bad things which open defecation does to our health. We children decided to start cleaning our latrine immediately. We designed a cover for the latrine holes using bamboo. We are happy that we don’t defecate openly and our school environment is clean now.”