Anele's 'unstoppable mission' for decent toilets in schools

TV and radio personality Anele Mdoda is all about building safe and hygienic toilets for children at underprivileged schools.

With sanitation and toilets still a huge issue in SA, Anele's aim for the year is to build 20 new school toilets.

She also set an ambitious goal of raising over R1m to build new toilets at one school through a crowdfunding campaign in partnership with Domestos.

In an interview on 702, Anele explained that her motivation to start this campaign began when she heard the story of Lumka Mkhethwa, the five-year-old girl who died last year in a broken pit latrine at her school in Bizana, in the Eastern Cape.

“I don't think I will ever stop. It's not like it's a campaign where I will raise R1,1m and stop. We planned to build a proper structure in every school because we don't want to cut any corners. We wanted a structure that will last forever,” said Anele.

She explained that she embarked on her mission of building safer toilets when she realised how many people grew up without proper sanitation. 

“I was in varsity in 2003 and my roommate was only 19 when she first saw a flushing toilet. I also know this all too well, because back home in the Eastern Cape I grew up using these long-drop toilets,” she said.

Anele also made an appearance on Newzroom Afrika's Breaking Dawn breakfast show on Tuesday morning to promote her campaign, where she was interviewed by her long-time friend Sizwe Dhlomo.

“Just because we grew up using these long-drop toilets and turned out fine doesn’t mean they’re alright. The long-drop is scary and children don't need to go through that any more,” she said.

Anele took to social media a few months ago already to show her progress so far.

Anyone interested in donating to this worthy cause, dubbed Anele's Unstoppable Sanitation Mission, can do so on Thundafund.