Donate-A-Loo

Make a real difference in the everyday lives of children and restore their dignity

How Donate-A-Loo started

The Donate-A-Loo schools project was started by Rotarian Helene Bramwell. She was deeply moved after hearing about a child who died after falling into a pit latrine. She decided something had to be done to prevent further deaths.

“While you’re sitting on the loo, think of those who need one too”.

Like most South Africans, she looked for a way to help, but couldn’t find any. This prompted her into action and she decided to do something, and Donate-A-Loo was born.

Helene approached her clients and suppliers to help fund the installation of toilets. She also approached local political parties and NGOs to find out how she could help schools with the biggest need.

Helene has

Registered Donate-A-Loo as a not for profit organisation;
Registered with SARS to enable Section 18A certificates;
Identified nursery schools with enough space to install toilets;
Established whether they have running water or other sanitation facilities; and
Found willing partners to spread the load

What does Donate-A-Loo do?

The Donate-A-Loo schools project aims to provide safe, reliable, decent sanitation to as a restore school children’s dignity.

The project has already installed 18 loos at schools in Paradise Bend and Durban Deep, and the Kgotso and Remogatswe nursery schools.

“We will be rolling out this project to more créches and nursery schools as we receive funding,” Helene said.

The problem with pit latrines and sanitation facts

Lack of access to proper toilets leads to all sorts of health problems for school children, including contaminated drinking water.

Every year 361 000 children under five-years-old age die of diarrhoea linked to poor sanitation and contaminated water
Pit latrines contribute to groundwater contamination
There are reportedly almost 4 000 pit latrines in SA’s schools

The school sanitation challenge

Schools without water;
Schools with pit toilets;
Toilets without privacy;
Schools that have sanitation but still use pit toilets

Schools with no or inadequate sanitation.
Sanitation not fit for purpose (age appropriate).

Examples of unsafe and unsanitary toilets

Our plans for the future

The deeper we get into this project, the better we understand the challenges and begin to get a grip on the enormity of the need we have identified.

Donate-A-Loo is now placing loos in crèches and nursery schools in informal areas. It has found there is less bureaucracy at this level which makes implementation faster. The ‘gogos’ (grannies) who own the schools are also more motivated than the administrators of schools for older children. It has meant that very young children are being taught proper hygiene and sanitation while caring for the loos.

We are working with Rotary

Donate-A-Loo has been adopted by the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn as one of the worthy causes it supports.

The club’s vision is to make a sustainable difference in the lives of young people in Jozi.

It aims to provide services that empower and sustain, to establish partnerships with communities for the uplifting of young people, and to give sustainable support to children in need.

Supported by

It believes Donate-A-Loo will achieve all of these things.

The Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn hopes to help identify schools where the Donate-A-Loo can improve the quality of children’s lives.

It also aims to help raise the money needed to ensure adequate water supplies at these schools, and the repairing of existing ablution facilities, or installation of waterless toilets. It is envisioned that this will be achieved through public donations, and contributions from the global network of Rotary clubs and The Rotary Foundation.

The establishment of public toilets in Chicago was Rotary’s first ever public service project, initiated by the founder of the humanitarian organisation, Illinois attorney Paul Harris, in 1907.

Water, sanitation and hygiene remain a priority today and form part of Rotary’s six areas of focus. The other areas are: peace and conflict resolution and prevention; disease prevention and treatment; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and economic and community development.

Two easy ways for you to donate right now

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

Bank FNB

Branch Hyde Park

Account Donate A Loo

Number 62791168498

Please use your name as a reference

Contact Us

Helene Bramwell

Adele Dabbs

Errol Burmann