On this week's radio show, Dr. Sasha Kramer of SOIL shared with listeners her work in Haiti. Once the richest colony in the world, Haiti is now a nation plagued by disease, poverty, high unemployment, pollution and low agricultural yield. SOIL, a non-profit, is working to equip and empower the people of Haiti to tackle these problems by focusing on improving sanitation and also providing nutrient-rich soil to Haitian farmers.

Many people in Haiti do not have access to toilets, thus drinking and bathing water is often contaminated with human waste. To tackle this problem, SOIL is bringing specially designed Ecological Sanitation toilets into communities. These toilets are the first step in a composting process that takes 8 months to 1 year, when the once human waste is then ready to be sold to Haitian farmers as safe, nutrient-rich soil for their fields. 

Originally, these toilets were built as communal toilets to serve the needs of the greatest number at once. Sasha explained, "We are developing a household toilet model in which a monthly fee would cover the collections and treatment of wastes. That monthly fee would provide a source of income for entrepreneurs that want to get involved in the waste business - a great business for which there is always a need and never a shortage of raw materials. At SOIL, our vision isn't to be in the toilet and waste management business, but the consulting business. Once we develop a model that works, we want to share and teach that model to others who can carry the work forward in a sustainable way."

"We had a very exciting day yesterday," said Sasha. "It was the first time we had the families pay the monthly service fee - of the 21 households using toilets, 18 were able to pay the fee. Paying for services is a unique idea in Haiti as it has become a culture in which the people are accustomed to receiving free services from international aid organizations. As we continue to empower the people of Haiti to take care of their own needs, I envision a future Haiti in which there is no need for international aid organizations."

"While the people of Haiti are living with so little and are a people who face so much struggle every day, I would not call them poor. Many refer to Haiti as 'the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere' -- I prefer to say that is the most impoverished. The people of Haiti are resilient and the culture is one of genuine kindness and respect. Again and again I am humbled by the spirit of the Haitian people."

If you would like to support Sasha and her work at SOIL, please donate now.