Community members of Aleita, in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory, have expressed joy and gratitude over the commissioning of an eco-friendly toilet built with recycled plastic bottles at L.E.A. Primary School, Aleita on Thursday.
The facility constructed by the NYSDGs & ICCDI Africa with support from UNICEF WASH/GenU in partnership with the FMWRS/ FCT RUWASSA, having fully completed with an O&M workshop .
Area Council, teachers, pupils, and WASHCOM members was conducted the facility to strengthen their capacity for proper use, cleaning, and routine maintenance of the facility (including sustainability of funding for O&M).
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Suleiman Gimba, Headteacher of L.E.A. Primary School, Aleita, described the project as a dream come true.
“We Thought It Was Not Realisable” — Headteacher” he said
“When the NGOs first brought the idea, I thought it was not realizable.
“ But thank God, today we are seeing the reality. The toilet has been built, the water system is functional, and it was all done using plastic materials.
“ This project has helped us eradicate open defecation because our old toilets had completely collapsed,” he said.
He commended UNICEF, RUWASA, and other implementing partners for their dedication, saying the new facility would drastically improve hygiene and learning conditions for pupils.
“We are very grateful to UNICEF and all stakeholders for making this project a reality today,” he added.
The Chairman of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Sunday Butus Makama, praised the initiative for educating the community about the importance of proper sanitation.
“I appreciate RUWASA and UNICEF for this project. It has opened our eyes to understand that open defecation is dangerous.
“When they came to this school, they discovered that there was no toilet facility at all. They decided to construct this eco-friendly toilet, and today we are seeing the result,” he said.
Makama added that the community is impressed by the durability of the eco-friendly structure, which was built with sand-filled plastic bottles.
“We have seen that this kind of structure is strong and sustainable. In the future, we hope similar facilities or even classrooms can be built using these same materials,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Saratu Zakwoyi, the women leader of Aleita community, expressed deep satisfaction with the initiative and its impact on children’s health and dignity.
“We are happy with what we have seen because it will help our children take care of themselves properly when they need to use the toilet.
“At first, when we heard they would build toilets using plastic bottles, we doubted how that could happen. But now, we have seen it with our eyes, and I have even used the toilet myself. It is clean and comfortable,” she said.
She added that the community would gladly welcome the expansion of similar eco-friendly projects beyond the school.
“We are appealing to UNICEF and the ministry to extend this kind of project into our community as well. It is a good initiative, and we will continue to support it,” she said.
For many in Aleita, the commissioning of this eco-friendly sanitation facility is more than just a construction project—it is a symbol of progress, environmental consciousness, and community empowerment.
The residents, school authorities, and parents all echoed a shared message: that with continued support from government agencies, local stakeholders and UNICEF, sustainable sanitation and hygiene can be achieved across Nigerian schools and communities.
It is worth noting that Aleyita is a pilot community for the integrated ODF/climate project.
• 50 youth volunteers oriented through a 3-day virtual session on ODF community mobilization and protocols, basic CLTS triggering, climate-smart sanitation, and safe plastic handling.
• 63 community actors (traditional leaders, women’s reps, PTA/school staff) attended a physical workshop on 11 June. From this, an ODF Task Force/Committee consisting of the leaders of the community, women and youth groups was formed to:
o Track the ODF action plan and household toilet uptake in the Aleyita community
o Mobilize community resources and link with TBOs for affordable but improved household toilet construction.
• A functional Environmental Health Club has been set up and trained in the primary school to promote WASH and drive climate messages and plastic collection activities through pupils.
• Social media mobilization: NYSDGs, with support from UNICEF, conducted a Live Audio event titled: From PET Bottles to Public Good: The Aleyita Story with the goal of amplifying Aleyita’s ODF + climate story, spotlighting youth action, and showing government–community partnership.
o Several social media posts have been released by NYSDGs with the following hashtags: #SafeSanitationAleyita #SafeSanitationNaija #ODFForAll #ClimateSmartSanitation; #FMWRSforODF #CleanNigeriaCampaign #FMWRSClimateAction; and #SDG6 #CleanWaterAndSanitation #SDG13 #EndOpenDefecation
• Environmental Clean-up Exercise and Plastic Waste Collection: Community volunteers under NYSDGs supervision and in collaboration with FCT RUWASSA and AEPB were mobilized to carry out environmental cleanup exercise.
• Tree-planting start-up: community members participated in a symbolic tree planting ceremony within the school premises. This activity served as a call to action for environmental conservation, carbon absorption, and climate resilience, while fostering community pride and youth involvement. Tree-care roles have been assigned through the school’s EHC (“green prefects”) and community adopters.
.The new facility eliminates open defecation, replacing the school’s collapsed old toilets. During the commissioning, the headteacher expressed gratitude, calling the project a dream realized. The PTA chairman and local women leader praised the durability and positive impact of the structure, urging expansion of similar initiatives within the community.Aleita serves as a pilot site for an integrated Open Defecation Free (ODF) and climate-smart sanitation program featuring community training, youth engagement, social media campaigns, environmental clean-ups, and tree planting to promote sanitation, climate action, and plastic waste management.The collaboration highlights a shared commitment among government agencies, NGOs, and local stakeholders to sustain sanitation improvements and foster environmental awareness in Nigerian schools and communities.
