World Toilet Organization
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| Formation | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Headquarters | Singapore |
Contents |
[edit] About WTO
World Toilet Organization (WTO) is a global non-profit organization committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide. WTO is also one of the few organizations to focus on toilets instead of water, which receives more attention and resources under the common subject of sanitation. Founded in 2001 with 15 members, it now has 151 member organizations in 53 countries working towards eliminating the toilet taboo and delivering sustainable sanitation.
WTO was created as a global network and service platform wherein all toilet and sanitation organizations can learn from one another and leverage on media and global support that in turn can influence governments to promote sound sanitation and public health policies.
WTO is the organizer of the very successful series of World Toilet Summits and World Toilet Expo and Forum. To-date, 8 World Toilet Summits and 2 World Toilet Expo & Forum have been hosted in 9 different cities around the world. Each summit addresses the critical issues of toilet and sanitation from technologies, development, funding, to design, maintenance, social entrepreneurship, capacity building, research and various other related topics, creating massive media coverage and momentum.
Mr. Jack Sim, Chairman of WTO, declared its founding day of November 19 as "World Toilet Day" and this is now being celebrated by members all over the world. Thus increasing awareness and generating local action for better sanitation.
In 2005, WTO started the world's first World Toilet College (WTC) providing training in toilet design, maintenance, School Sanitation and Disaster Sanitation and implementation of Sustainable Sanitation systems. WTO is also one of the founding members of the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSana), a coalition of 50 prominent organizations to promote sustainable sanitation systems.
In 2006, the Schwab Foundation, a family of the World Economic Forum, awarded the Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year to WTO and made its founder a Schwab Foundation permanent fellow. In 2007, WTO was honored as an Ashoka Global Fellow for its excellence in social entrepreneurship.
In addition to advocacy, capacity building and sanitation projects, WTO is now driving a market-based strategy to address the dysfunctional sanitation market for the poor, by installing efficient market infrastructure
[edit] About the Founder
[edit] Jack Sim
After attaining financial independence at the age of 40, Jack decided to devote the rest of his life to social work. He established the Restroom Association of Singapore (RAS) in 1998 to break the taboo of toilet and sanitation and legitimize it for mainstream culture. In 2001, Jack created the World Toilet Organization (WTO) as a global network and service platform wherein the various toilet associations, academia, government, UN agencies and toilet stakeholders can learn from one another and leverage on media and corporate support to influence governments to promote sound sanitation and public health policies.
In 2004, he was awarded the inaugural Singapore Green Plan Award 2012 by Singapore's National Environment Agency for contribution to Environment.
In 2005, Jack founded the World Toilet College to provide high quality training in Toilet Design, Maintenance, Cleanliness and Ecological Sanitation Technologies. The college is a joint venture with Singapore Polytechnic.
Jack won the Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006, awarded by The Schwab Foundation For Social Entrepreneurship based in Switzerland.
In 2007, Jack became one of the key members to convene the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance comprised of about 50 organizations active in the field of sanitation. That same year, he also became the first Singaporean elected to be an Ashoka Global Fellow. Ashoka is the largest social entrepreneurship support group in the world.
In January 2008, Jack was appointed a Council Member to the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council for Water Security, a Council that advises WEF on water and sanitation Matters.
Jack is also a guest lecturer and mentor for social entrepreneurship at INSEAD Asia Campus and Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore.
[edit] About World Toilet College
Established in 2005, the World Toilet College (WTC) started as a social enterprise, with the belief that there is need for an independent world body to ensure the best practices and standards in Toilet Design, Cleanliness, and Sanitation Technologies are adopted and disseminated through training. WTC’s underlying principle is to bridge the much needed “last mile” to professionalize the sanitation and restroom industry and ensure that the needs, design, maintenance and cleanliness of restrooms receive mainstream attention. This is the first and only institution that addresses the needs of both the urban and rural toilets in a holistic manner. WTC has a long-standing partnership with Singapore Polytechnic, a reputable training institution in Singapore. In 19 November 2005, WTC signed a Memorandum of Association in which Singapore Polytechnic agreed to provide the premises for classroom training. On-site training will be done in various locations. It also has the support of local and international government ministries and agencies, private enterprises and sanitation experts.
[edit] WTC offers the following programmes:
• Restroom Specialist Training Course (RSTC)
• National Skills Recognition System Course (NSRS)
• Sustainable Sanitation Course (SusSan)
• Restroom Design Course (RDC)
• School Sanitation and Hygiene Education Course (SSHEC)
• Disaster and Emergency Sanitation Course (DESC)
[edit] World Toilet Summit
The World Toilet Organization started the World Toilet Summit in 2001 to provide a common platform to stakeholders to connect, share, learn and collaborate to meet the global target for sanitation. Over the years World Toilet Summit has gained significant prominence and leverages on foreign governments and NGOs to host World Toilet Summit in different cities each year.
This has been held in various places around the world
- 2008 - Macau, China
- 2007 - New Delhi, India
- 2006 - Moscow, Russia
- 2005 - Belfast, Ireland
- 2004 - Beijing, China
- 2003 - Taipei, Taiwan
- 2002 - Seoul, South Korea
- 2001 - Singapore
[edit] World Toilet Day
World Toilet Organization declared 19th November as World Toilet Day in 2001 since then 19th November is observed globally by all stakeholders.[citation needed]
