World Toilet Organization

WTD was founded on 19 November 2001 and the inaugural WTS was held on the same day. WTO recognized the need for an international day to draw global attention to the sanitation crisis – and so established World Toilet Day (WTD).[6] NGOs, the private sector, civil society organizations and the international community joined in to mark the global day. The United Nations also officially recognises this day due to the need to raise awareness about the world's sanitation crisis.[7]

The Urgent Run in Senegal organized to celebrate WTD 2014

Each year, WTO commemorates WTD with the Urgent Run. The Urgent Run is a call for urgent action to end the sanitation crisis and aims to bring communities around the world together to raise awareness for the global sanitation challenge and engage people with sanitation issues in their local communities. For the past few years, in the lead-up to UN World Toilet Day, communities worldwide have come together to organize sanitation-themed Urgent Runs in varying formats and include fun runs, educational events, awareness walks, toilet cleaning programs, carnivals and even motorbike parades. They are organised by community groups, companies, universities, volunteers and NGOs to engage their local communities on their sanitation challenges.[8]

WTO's Rainbow School Toilet Initiative was launched in 2015. In 2016 four rural schools, with an estimated 1,300 students (average 300 students per school) benefited from the new toilet buildings equipped with a recyclable wastewater treatment plant.[9]

Until 2018, no proper sanitation existed for the almost 100,000 people living in floating communities on Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake.[10] To address sanitation issues in these floating communities, Wetlands Work! (WW) developed the HandyPod,[11] a product that contains the raw sewage and treats it by harnessing various biological processes. This project aims to eliminate open defecation by providing sanitation systems to floating schools and teaching students to use toilets; improve sanitation and hygiene; reduce school absences due to diarrhea; increase school attendance especially for girls, as well as driving demand for household toilets.

WTO and WW raised funds for the project through various platforms and in 2016 a total of eight HandyPods have been installed, befitting approximately 900 students and 650 indirect beneficiaries in their households.[12]

The World Toilet College (WTC) started as a social enterprise in 2005 with the belief that there is a need for an independent world body to ensure best practices and standards in toilet design, cleanliness and sanitation technologies. While the lack of toilets is an endemic problem, poor management and hygienic maintenance are equally serious issues. A well-kept toilet will encourage proper usage and prevent deadly diseases.[13]

Since 2005 WTC has trained more than 5,000 people across its various courses and conducted programmes and courses.[14]