Mr. Toilet and the crusader of global sanitation
“Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man.” premiered at Toronto’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and tells the story of Jack Sim, a crusader for global sanitation.
It is no secret that improper sanitation is one of the leading causes of death in developing countries. With almost 40% of the world’s population still living without proper sanitation almost 1 million children die every year from diarrhea, that’s about 2,000 children a day.
Jack Sim founded The World Toilet Organization and has spent the last 13 years lobbying 193 counties to raise awareness for proper sanitation. Sim successfully lobbied the United Nations to create World Toilet Day – The first international celebration of the toilet. The WTO trains locals to build latrines toilets in places that do not have them. The goal is to not only create a healthy environment for the locals but to shift the social narrative and attitudes surrounding open defecation.
The problem is more tricky than it seems as resources are slim and organizations compete with one another for access. The challenge is also seen in the conversation. People are generally uncomfortable talking about toilets, urination, defecation, even the merits of toilet paper! Jack strives to forge a cultural awakening for a continued conversation surrounding the toilet.
Comments