Kasijan (75) has been living alone for more than two-thirds of his life in a narrow hut in Salak hamlet, Giripurwo village, Wonogiri district, Central Java. To fulfill his daily needs, he relies on the small profits from selling broomsticks for IDR 8,000 each. He assembles the brooms himself and then offers them to buyers by walking around.
Before receiving sanitation assistance, Kasijan did not have his own sanitation facility. As a traveling broom seller, he still practiced open defecation in different places along his route, depending on where he stopped. If he was at home, he used to go to relieve himself in river located 50 meters away from his home.
“The long distance makes it difficult for me to go to the river, especially at night and when it rains,” he said.
The situation improved when community volunteers from Giripurwo village with support from USAID IUWASH Tangguh utilized the private sector fund to build a latrine with a septic tank for Kasijan. For two days, the volunteers worked tirelessly to build the septic tank in Kasijan’s yard using the cast-in-place method. The entire construction process was completed in mid-August 2024.
Kasijan expressed his happiness to have a toilet and septic tank in his yard. “I no longer have to worry about going to the river far from my house”. In addition to the sanitation, Kasijan also received supports to connect to PDAM.
With support from various parties, Kasijan can now live a more comfortable life. His new sanitation facility not only improves his health but also brings hope in the midst of his challenging circumstances.
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