Local charity raises funds by selling books to build toilets in informal settlements
Residents who want to support the cause can visit The Village to donate or buy books, helping to fund vital facilities for children in need.
Thousands of children in South Africa still face the daily danger of unsafe toilets, but one initiative is changing that, one loo at a time.
Helene Bramwell, founder of Donate-A-Loo, has made it her mission to provide safe and dignified sanitation to schools in informal settlements. With the support of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn, her project is bringing much-needed facilities to young children who would otherwise be forced to use unsafe pit latrines.
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Since its inception, Donate-A-Loo has installed 18 toilets in schools across Paradise Bend and Durban Deep and at Kgotso and Remogatswe nursery schools. Recognising the urgency of the issue, the project has focused on crèches and nursery schools, where implementation is faster, and caregivers are highly motivated to maintain the new facilities.
To continue its work, Donate-A-Loo is hosting a second-hand book sale at The Village, 60 Tyrone Avenue in Parkview, opposite the library. The funds raised will be used to install additional toilets in early childhood development (ECD) schools in Diepsloot. Previous sales have already enabled the installation of five more toilets, and the goal is to fund at least seven more from this event.
“Providing safe, reliable, and decent sanitation is about restoring dignity,” said Bramwell. “Our proposed solution conserves water, requires no costly infrastructure, and includes a maintenance plan for each school.”
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So far, 40 toilets have been placed in Diepsloot, Cosmos, Delmas, and Soweto, with regular inspections ensuring they remain in working order. The project has also expanded to include JoJo tanks to improve water access in these areas. Rotary International has a long history of supporting sanitation initiatives, dating back to 1907 when its founder, Paul Harris, launched a public toilet project in Chicago. More than a century later, the organisation remains committed to improving sanitation, alongside its efforts in healthcare, education, and economic development.
For Bramwell, the impact is deeply personal. “Every child deserves the dignity of a clean and safe toilet. When I see the joy and relief on their faces after a new facility is installed, I know we’re making a real difference. This is about more than sanitation; it’s about giving children a healthier, more hopeful future.”
Residents who want to support the cause can visit The Village to donate or buy books, helping to fund vital facilities for children in need. For more information, visit www.donatealoo.co.za, email helene@global.co.za, or contact Helene Bramwell directly at 082 413 1816. Together, we can ensure that no child has to compromise their dignity due to inadequate sanitation.
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