Despite the damp and chilly weather gripping KwaZulu-Natal, Breadline Africa’s team has been on the ground, tackling a deeply concerning issue: the continued reliance on unsafe and undignified pit toilets in schools and ECD centres.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (17 April 2025) – It’s been a rainy and cold week in several parts of KwaZulu-Natal but that hasn’t dampened the spirits or determination of a Breadline Africa team that has been visiting schools and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres to evaluate potential projects, conduct critical monitoring and hand over newly built toilet facilities.
Addressing the latter has proven to be one of the organisation’s biggest and most heartbreaking challenges, as thousands of children in South Africa still rely on pit toilets at school. Not only are these facilities undignified, but also unsafe and, in the worst cases, life-threatening.
“It’s heartbreaking that in 2025, thousands of children across South Africa still use dangerous pit toilets at school. How can we expect them to learn, grow and thrive in such conditions?” Breadline Africa expresses in a post.
According to the organisation, over a million people lose their lives each year due to poor sanitation, and half of them are children under five.
“The risk is real. The crisis is urgent.”
This crisis, which is both a public health crisis and a personal one, makes Breadline’s team visits crucial. More than just routine checks, these visits identify, report and support schools that still use pit toilets, thereby improving sanitation, restoring dignity and ensuring safety.
“No child should fear going to the toilet at school. No parent should have to worry that a school toilet might harm their child.
“At Breadline Africa, we’re committed to changing this, one safe toilet at a time.”
Sources: Breadline Africa
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