Getas Residents Do Not Have To 'Fight' The 100 Meter Road For Just A CHAPTER In The River

Photo via Central Java Provincial Government

JAKARTA - For years, residents of Getas Village, Wonosalam District, Demak Regency, and residents of Lebak Village, Grobogan District, Grobogan Regency, defecate in the river. Now everything has changed and they leave the habit.

A small river extends in front of the house of Sarumi (70), a resident of Getas Village, Wonosalam, Demak. With the water level, yesterday afternoon, almost as high as the road surface.

It was in the river across the street from her house that Sarumi's grandmother used to defecate. He has been doing this for years. In fact, to have a number of grandchildren, as quoted from the Central Java Provincial Government.

"Grandma eek ten mriko, lepen (if you defecate there, the river), sak derenge wonten (before there was) assistance," said Sarumi reminiscing, met at his house, Friday, October 15.

She then showed her her new toilet and toilet, Sarumi smiled. The Central Java Provincial Government has provided latrine assistance to residents in need. And now he no longer has to cross the street in front of the house to just defecate.

Sukardi (55), a resident of Lebak Village, Grobogan District/Regency also felt the same joy. A latrine with a bathroom wall made of woven bamboo, has been built some time ago.

It is located right in the backyard of the house. Although the river and the latrine are both behind the house, Sukardi and his family have chosen to use the latrine and change the behavior of open defecation.

The new place for defecation can be used by family members. He and his son, Aris Tinjuwati (34), both received latrine assistance from the Central Java Health Office.

"Two latrines can be used by about six people," said Sukardi accompanied by his daughter.

What is clear, he is very grateful because he no longer needs to go to the river which is about 100 meters from his house to defecate. Moreover, the river often floods every rainy season arrives. Even when it doesn't overflow, the ground is very slippery.

"It's delicious ten mriki. Mboten Kudanan, flood mboten (it's good in the latrine here. It doesn't rain, it doesn't flood)," said Sukardi.

In fact, he built a defecation room independently. This is a form of gratitude to the provincial government, and coupled with the need to have a latrine.

Sunarti, another resident of Lebak Village, also openly thanked the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo for providing latrine assistance for his residents.

"Thank you Pak Ganjar for the help," said Sunarti at her home.

The holder of the Bansos Latrine program at the Central Java Health Office, Ayu Novioktaviana Hapsari, and the team, have carried out monitoring activities to the beneficiaries of social assistance in a number of areas. Like in Demak and Grobogan.

Novi, as he is known, said that apart from latrine assistance, his party was keen to educate the public not to defecate indiscriminately.

“Through Community-Based Total Sanitation (STBM), the goal is to change people's behavior from open defecation to stopping open defecation. So the environment is cleaner and healthier,” said Novi.