By Promise Aid/San Sone
When families are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, they lose everything. They move to temporary camps where even the most basic human needs become a daily struggle. One of the biggest challenges we see in these camps is the lack of safe and clean sanitation.
The photo below shows a semi-permanent latrine we recently helped install for a community of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It is a simple structure made of wood, blue plastic panels, and a zinc roof, built near a bamboo forest. For a family living in a camp, this small building is about more than just hygiene; it is about safety and dignity.
© Promise Aid/Alinn Zet
The Unseen Gaps in the WASH Sector
There is a massive gap in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector that often goes unnoticed by the world.
- The “Temporary” Trap: Most aid provides “emergency” latrines made of local wood and thin plastic. However, displacement in Myanmar is often long-term. These structures break under heavy wind and rain, leaving families with nowhere to go.
- The Safety Gap: If a latrine doesn’t have a strong lock or a stable floor, women and children are afraid to use it at night. Dignity is impossible without security.
- The Knowledge Gap: Having a latrine is useless if the community doesn’t have the technical awareness to maintain it. Without proper waste management, a latrine can actually cause more disease by contaminating the groundwater.
How We Are Bridging the Divide
© Promise Aid/Alinn Zet
We don’t just want to build more latrines; we want to build better systems. This requires a mix of Technical Awareness and Quality Inputs.
- Better Materials: We are moving toward “semi-permanent” designs. This means using stronger timber, better roofing, and durable panels like the one seen in the photo.
- Community Training: We teach camp committees how to manage waste and repair structures so they last for years, not months.
- Hygiene Education: We provide the “inputs” that make sanitation work—soap, clean water storage, and hygiene kits for families.
Your Role in This Story
The gap in Myanmar is wide, but we are filling it one camp at a time. When you support us, “you aren’t just paying for wood and nails. You are providing parents with a safe place for their children and giving communities the tools they need to stay healthy.”
We can provide the technical expertise, but we need your help to provide the materials.