As the world marks Toilet Day under the theme ‘Sanitation for Peace’ on November 19, Rwanda’s use of improved toilets has increased, with people with disabilities highlighting the need for greater inclusiveness.

Lambert Munyerangwe, a 54-year-old stroke survivor from Muhanga district, still recalls what happened in Gatsibo on June 28, 2024.

He had just stepped off a bus and was preparing for the 25-minute walk to his relatives’ home when, barely five minutes into the journey, a sudden and unforgiving urge hit him.

His body stiffened. His limbs, weakened since the stroke, could not move at the pace he needed. He looked around and spotted the nearest household, about twenty metres away. It felt like his only hope.

"I told myself I could manage, but when the urge comes, and your legs are slow, you panic,” Munyerangwe said.

At the first home, the family welcomed him, but the pit latrine was narrow, dark and dirty, impossible for him to use safely. He had to move on quickly. The second household had steps he could not climb. At the third, the toilet floor was wet and too slippery. Each failed attempt increased the pressure and the fear.

Sweat gathered on his forehead as he leaned on a fence, trying to hold himself together.

"I almost lost control,” he said quietly. "Imagine being a grown man, 54, and struggling to find just one toilet you can use.

Finally someone helped him reach a wider, cleaner latrine, but the experience stayed with him. Munyerangwe acknowledges that Rwanda has made real progress with improved toilets across communities. But he says the challenges remain for people like him.

"Since then, whenever I take a long trip or visit an unfamiliar place, I limit what I consume or sometimes skip meals.”

"There are improvements, yes,” he said. "But people with disabilities still need more care. A toilet should not be a source of fear.”

Manasseh Nzanira, president of the Rwanda Union of Little People, said that the challenges are real.

"The urinal toilets for men are still being found higher, which the little people find difficult, as well as high latrine toilets. There are some places where they are being improved, but the gaps still persist.”

For residents who have got the improved toilets, like Jeanne Yankurije in Mugina Sector in Kamonyi district, the improved toilets they were were given by Arde-Kubaho have brought a better harvest.

"For instance, with ecosan toilets provided, they can help to produce fertilisers,” she said, highlighting the dual purpose of the new facilities.

"We had poor harvests due to lack of enough fertilisers in the last two years, but today, we can use urine to fertilise bananas, pumpkins and other crops, and it provides a big harvest.”

Yankurije acknowledged that it is very expensive to afford an improved toilet like ecosan, but the project has reduced the burdens in her life.

Aphrodis Sindayigaya, Yankurije’s neighbour, stated the impact on daily life. "We use these toilets to produce organic fertiliser, and it has helped increase our agricultural production,” adding that families previously struggled with poor hygiene.

The project, which constructed "Ecosan” toilets and trained residents on their use, has transformed the community’s well-being.

Paul Murenzi, president of Arde-Kubaho, an organisation specialised in sanitation projects, says that there is a need for more work on the construction of infrastructure.

The organisation, which in cooperation with the German organisation Sign of Hope, built 170, and 200 with other partners, in total 370 toilets in recent projects in Kamonyi District.

"Some people used open pit latrines, and dirty water flowed into the sources of water. This was a challenge because people consumed contaminated water, which can cause different diseases,” Murenzi stated. "Now the problem is being solved with this project.”

There is a need for more emphasis on inclusiveness in toilets, which we are also focusing on. The people with disabilities, there is a gap, but it needs to be fixed, should be considered in the infrastructure, including toilets.

During World Toilet Day, the German ambassador to Rwanda, Heike Uta Dettmann, joined local communities in Kamonyi District, visiting sanitation projects supported in the district, praising the efforts of schools, residents, and technicians in improving hygiene and sanitation.

She expressed her admiration for the generosity and dedication shown, emphasising that Germany’s role was to support the significant work already being done by the Rwandan government.

"Access to clean water is a human right,” she said. "Children should not have to walk long distances through swamps, risking danger, just to get water. Here, they can access clean water safely.”

Osee Abel Eloi Maniribuka, the head teacher of GS Kansoro, confirmed the positive change. He noted that the new toilets have enhanced both comfort and inclusivity for learners.

"Those with disabilities are now being remembered as well,” he said, emphasising the impact of the improvements.

The school recently built additional facilities to prevent overcrowding, a testament to the growing demand for quality sanitation.

He said this as the Ministry of Education, through their statement on the day, urged schools to maintain proper hygiene and responsible use of school toilets, emphasising clean facilities, regular handwashing with soap, keeping bins clean, reporting damaged water points, and ensuring handwashing stations are placed near toilets.

According to findings from the seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV 7) by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), access to improved sanitation facilities increased from 86 per cent in 2016/17 to 94 per cent in 2023/24.

When considering only improved toilet facilities that are not shared with individuals from other households, the proportion rose from 66 per cent to 72 per cent over the same period, reflecting an increase of six percentage points.

Northern Province reports the highest usage, with 83.2 per cent using improved non-shared toilets, 4.0 per cent with unimproved pit latrines, and 0.9 per cent without any toilet.

Western Province follows at 76.1 per cent, 5.2 per cent use pit latrines without a slab, and 0.2 per cent have no toilet.

In Eastern Province, 75.7 per cent use improved non-shared toilets, 4.8 per cent use pit latrines without a slab, and 1.2 per cent have no toilet. In Southern Province, 74.6 per cent use improved non-shared toilets, 89.2 per cent have pit latrines with a slab, 7.6 per cent use ones without a slab, and 1.6 per cent have no toilet.