Where would you hide?

At the moment 2.5 billion people lack basic sanitation. In many countries even schools are not equipped with toilets and running water to ensure basic hygiene. This leads to infections and disease. Children become sick, miss out on education and in many cases they die as a consequence of infection. Well designed and appropriate sanitation leads to a dramatic increase in the quality of life for these people. It not only permits a more dignified lifestyle, but  protects the environment.   

The German Toilet Organisation - a charity based in Berlin - runs a number of initiatives to create awareness about this problem but also to raise money for projects around the globe.

Where would you hide? is one of their successful campaigns and exhibitions to create awareness about the problems of sanitation in our western societies.

Try to imagine your life without toilets - none in your home, none at your neighbour's, not even a public toilet. This is almost impossible to imagine in society where we take sanitation and the associated infrastructure for granted.  

Where would you hide? is as travelling exhibition which has been touring prominent public places such as city squares, conference centres and museums since 2006. The campaign addresses a topic which is still  taboo in many parts of our society and it creates not only a platform for debate, but also a platform for fundraising and the financing of projects.

The campaign has been showcased in New York, Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna and other major cities. It is well designed and very clearly communicates a very important issue which is so often ignored in our western societies.

The German Toilet Organisation runs projects in Germany, Zambia, Sri Lanka and China to create awareness, raise funding and to install the appropriate infrastructures in the developing countries. With the support of UN-Water, GTO makes the exhibition and other materials available to organisations willing to bring sanitation events to their cities. Are you interested?

You can find out more on www.sanitation-is-dignity.org

M.HAUS 2009