The Rotary Club of Lagos Mainland, District 9110 Nigeria, has rehabilitated 15 toilets and a borehole within the premises of Iponri Grammar School in Ebute Metta, Lagos. 

Speaking on the successful completion of the project, the club’s president, Rotarian Kazeem Bakare, said the club received a long list of requests for assistance from the community and chose to refurbish the 15 toilets and to dig a borehole for the school after due diligence.

The toilets, which comprising six in the boys’ section, six in the girls’ section, one for the principal and two for staff members in the school were in a bad shape before we decided to intervene, he said.

Rotarian Bakare explained that the club approved the project because it falls under one of the six areas of focus in Rotary which is water and sanitation. Adding that it is essential to provide children in schools with basic access to sanitation facilities and to keep the toilets clean. 

While stating that the toilets were also equipped with hand washing stations to build hygienic habits in the students.

“By refurbishing the toilets and digging a borehole for the school, we hope the students will take advantage and play their part in the maintenance of the facilities so that they stand a better chance for a lifetime of success”, Rotarian Bakare said.

Rotarian Bakare used the occasion to disclosed that Rotary Club of Lagos Mainland recently installed ‘a Four Way Test’ board at the roundabout opposite the Lagos Mainland Local Government Council in Ebute Metta and also organized a Family Health Week for residents of the community near Costain in Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

Also speaking at the commissioning of the toilets, the Club’s District Governor (DG), Rotarian Kola Sodipo, said: “We do this in order to enable both teachers and students to concentrate on what they are doing because when it is time to answer the call of nature and you don’t have a good toilet to do it, one will be uncomfortable.

Rotarian Sodipo urged the students to always keep the toilets clean so that the club can be encouraged to listen to further requests for assistance. “I hope the students will make use of the illustrations on the wall on proper ways to clean the hands after using the toilet.” He added.

Responding, principal of the school, Mr. Opawunmi E. A. said he will ensure that the toilets are well maintained. “We shall do everything that is humanly possible to keep the toilets in good shape. But like Oliver Twist, we are still asking for more assistance from your Rotary Club,” he said.

A student of the school, Iroko Abosede, who thanked the club on behalf of her colleagues said, “We appreciate Rotary Club of Lagos Mainland for their kind gesture towards our school. We assure them that we shall put the toilets into good use”.