How to Use the Toilet

As I said, there is no running water in Asko, the small town outside the capital of Addis Ababa. Consequently, when you turn on the tap, nothing comes out. When you turn on the shower, nothing comes out. And, logically, when you flush the toilet, it doesn't flush. Easy enough (for anyone who's been camping) to figure out how to work around the shower and sink, but the toilet is an adventure of its own.

My toilet in Mercy Ministry Home.
Note orange bucket of water with green cup to right.
Note yellow waste can to left tucked behind toilet a bit.
The ceramic pad to the left is the shower floor.

First: Squirt the antibacterial gel all over the toilet to clean it as best you can. Challenge: No toilet paper!

Before First: Borrow toilet paper from Robin:

Toilet paper from a store (therefore wrapped).
Cost ~7 Birr (52¢), which is pretty expensive;
a cab ride for about 3 miles cost 16¢.
Obviously worth it to an American like me
but not likely a high priority when food is a daily issue.

Next: Bring orange bucket down three flights of stairs to outside water source:

Outside water source.
We don't actually know from where it originates …
not collected on the roof, not sure why plumbing is exposed. Suffice it to say, we don't drink it. 

Fill bucket:

Filling the toilet-water bucket. The green plastic
pan to the left is where Buza, the cook, washes
our dishes. The green plastic pan to the right is
left under the tap when it's not being used.

After hauling the full water bucket back up three flights of stairs, pee or poop (as necessary). Note in the first picture that there isn't a lot of leg room between the toilet and the wall ... personally, I don't sit down, so am performing a bit of a contortionist act. Too much information, I'm sure, but I really want you to experience what I'm experiencing ;-).

When business is finished, wipe sparingly (particularly if you're low on TP) and NEVER throw the toilet paper in the commode; that's what the yellow bucket to the left of the toilet is for! Yep. Always.

To finish: use the green cup to scoop water into the commode; usually takes two scoops to force pee down but might need a whole bucket for other business, which of course means I need to go back downstairs to refill the bucket so I'm ready for the next time. There's no point in using the water sparingly because it will only get through the system as far as the water you use will carry it, so to avoid smells, I use as much water as I think necessary and suffer the chore of bringing more.

I am not yet completely clear on where the sewer water goes.

Washing hands? Well ... the water brought in the bucket is the same water used for cooking and washing dishes so I rinse my hands in that and then squirt with antibacterial gel.