From conflict zones to climate-hit areas, she emphasizes the life-changing impact of clean, safe sanitation on public health, equality, and sustainable progress.
As the world marks World Toilet Day on Tuesday, November 19th, she is keen to share the power of sanitation to foster peace and resilience.
This year, World Toilet Day's focus highlights the essential role of safe and resilient sanitation systems in fostering peace, particularly in areas affected by conflict, climate change, and natural disasters.
According to Rotarian Terry Obath, the Water Sanitation and Hygiene campaign underscores the vital role of proper sanitation in protecting public health, promoting equality, and supporting sustainable development. She is keen to promote improved sanitation's public health role.
Terry is the Rotary District 9212 Vice Chair for Water Hygiene and Sanitation overseas projects in Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
"If we improve sanitation, we prevent infections, school attendance improves, parents save money that would otherwise be spent on treatment, allowing them to invest in other ways to support their families, and children grow stronger and healthier," Obath says.
As a member of the global volunteer organization, she shares Rotary International's vision that when people access clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
"Poor access to safe sanitation and hygiene devastates individuals, families, and communities. When sanitation systems fail, waste spreads and causes deadly waterborne diseases like cholera," said Obath, who co-leads the Rotary International District 9212 Water Sanitation and Hygiene program as the District Vice Chair.
Through the WASH in Schools Target Challenge, Rotary club members develop sustainable projects that comprehensively address the most pressing water, sanitation, hygiene, and education needs in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, India, and Kenya.
She explains her passion and dedication to promoting access to fresh water and basic toilets for schools and communities.
"WASH was the main project I sought to undertake because once you have sorted out your water issues, health, and sanitation, then you can knock out all the other problems Rotary focus areas such as maternal health and newborn care, education, environment peace, and conflict resolution," she says.
Obath explains that as members of the Rotary Club of Gachie, the volunteers, guided by experts, defined a basic ablution block and realized that sanitation improvement involved everyone.
"We realized that many schools nationwide lack adequate toilet facilities for Early Childhood Education learners, and few have disability-accessible restrooms. Additionally, many primary schools do not provide girls with dignified sanitation facilities, essential for promoting proper menstrual hygiene," said Obath.
According to Obath, Rotary Clubs have also been actively involved in setting up ablution blocks and spreading health promotion messages shared in health clubs and classes beyond.
"Handwashing is vital for staying healthy, keeping kids in school, and creating safe, supportive learning environments."
Under her leadership as the Project Lead, the Rotary Club of Gachie set out to improve the WASH facilities in schools and hospitals in Kisii, Nyamira, and Bomet Counties. It handles 76 institutions under a global grant given under Rotary District 9212.
Working with Rotary Club of Gachie Past President Gary Ananda, the primary contact for the regional WASH grant from Rotary International, and the entire team, they finally focused on 26 schools and 50 healthcare facilities with the WASH project in Wahuthu Primary School in the Kiambaa area as the pilot project, renovating the toilets for the young learners.
"Can you imagine the excitement of kindergarten pupils when they discovered they now had urinals, as urinals are typically for adults? The Early Childhood Development (ECD) girls also had toilets equipped with SaTo (Sanitation Toilet) pans, and the teen learners had menstrual-hygiene friendly toilets," she says.
In the schools, toilets were repaired by replacing the old iron roof sheeting, new doors were installed, the walls and floors were plastered, and SaTo pans were installed to keep away flies and foul odors and are easy to clean.
"We also converted one toilet to be used by the girls during their menstrual days by providing water inside the room, a menstrual bin, and hooks to hang washed underwear to bring back the dignity of girls during their menses," she adds.
According to her, the menstrual rooms have improved the girls' education because they can attend classes, unlike before, when they would be absent during their menstrual period for fear of soiling themselves and lacking a proper place to clean themselves up. This has boosted their confidence and consequently improved their performance in school.
They also realized the need for clean, safe drinking water in schools. Pupils would bring water from home to drink and clean the toilets, and sometimes, it would be contaminated.
Working in partnership with Aqua Clara, the Rotary Club ensured handwashing facilities in schools and hospitals and clean water by providing 10,000-litre water storage tanks with water filters.
"We had a handwashing station outside the toilet, one outside the class, and water tanks with filters for safe drinking water and other individual water stations inside the classrooms," she explains.
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After completing the WASH project in the Kisii area, Obath was appointed to lead WASH projects in District 9212 and plans to move to other places to improve the WASH facilities in more schools and healthcare facilities.
"Terry, a Rotarian for six years, says the time spent improving sanitation in schools and communities is not only fulfilling but also restores dignity to those who have been underserved."
Her journey into the Rotary was a challenging one. Pushed by her passion for helping others, she joined the Rotaract Club of Nairobi as a young girl in her 20s and realized she could not proceed with joining the main Rotary Club because, at that time, it was not admitting women.
Later, when she got married and her husband, Patrick Obath, joined the Rotary Club, she could participate actively as a spouse and, years later, became an active member of the Rotary Club of Gachie when the admission rules were relaxed.
"I felt the need to join the Rotary Club on my own, not under the shadow of my husband, who had once been a Past District Governor. I found my home at the Rotary Club of Gachie, where I was appointed to lead club projects," she says.
Obath continues to advocate for sanitation as a critical pillar of the global well-being of families and communities.
"Resilient sanitation systems are crucial to building peace and resilience.
