A Safer Bathroom for the Team Behind It All

Living and working in remote place like Oda, and running programs for the community, isn't easy. But our team shows up for it anyway, day after day, fully committed to the people we serve. They're the ones making everything happen behind the scenes, often with very little, and they do it because they believe in this place and this work.

Right now, our staff bathroom toilet has gotten to the point where it's not just an inconvenience, it's a genuine safety issue. This bathroom has a story of its own. It was originally built using mud and stone from the surrounding area, a simple, resourceful solution from the early days, meant for the children who first came to the school. 

Over time, it became the staff bathroom too, and for more than five years now, our team has continued to use the same space. After all this time, it's reached a point where the walls are cracked, damp and musty creating a situation of genuine unsafety. 

What we're hoping to build is simple but lasting, a space with proper plumbing, a functional toilet, and a basic shower area, built with safety, hygiene and durability in mind. 

For staff, this is about more than convenience. When the basics are taken care of, it sends a message: that their wellbeing matters, that the work they do is seen and valued. Help us turn this into the upgrade our team deserves. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

For more details on how we got to this $5,200 figure, we calculated per-unit cost across key infrastructure materials. Please reach out for the detailed budget if of interest. To give you a sense of where it goes: the largest single item is a hot water solar system at roughly $828, so staff have reliable warm water, followed by floor and wall tiling at about $441 for a hygienic, cleanable surface, and skilled labor at a total of $228 to do the build properly. Beyond that, the budget covers two 1,000-litre water tanks (about $207) for steady supply, the full plumbing run of pipes, sockets, and fittings, paint and enamel to seal against the damp that ruined the last structure, and the cost of transporting materials from Surkhet out to Oda (about $414).  As you may know, the only way to Oda is by foot. Right down to the doors, wiring set, and the toilet seat itself, nothing here is excess — it's a durable, dignified space built to last, for a team that has kept everything running on very little. Again, we are very happy to share the details of every line item if requested!