NYSC member builds toilet with 3,500 bottles

From Godwin Agia, Jalingo

A serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Kleina Kuchahyel Musa, has explained her decision to construct an eco-friendly toilet facility using recycled plastic bottles was driven by the desire to turn environmental waste into practical community solutions.
Musa spoke over the weekend in Jalingo during the commissioning of the sanitation facility built with 3,500 recycled plastic bottles at Salihu Dogo Secondary School in Jalingo, Taraba State.
The project, executed under her Community Development Service, was commissioned by the Taraba State Government.
Speaking at the event, Musa said the initiative was inspired by the growing challenge of plastic waste and the need to promote environmental sustainability while addressing sanitation concerns within schools.
“For many people, plastic waste is simply a problem. But for me, it became a question: ‘What if this waste could become a solution?’ Today, that idea has become reality here in Jalingo, where we have successfully recycled 3,500 plastic bottles into something meaningful,” she said.
She explained that the project was designed to align with several Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, SDG 13 on climate action, SDG 4 on quality education, and SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities.
According to her, the initiative was not just about constructing a toilet facility but also about inspiring community participation and environmental responsibility among students and residents.
Musa said she was particularly encouraged when students voluntarily joined the construction process by helping to carry sand-filled bottles and building materials.
“In that moment, I realized the project was no longer just mine. It had become a community project,” she stated.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Gara Nongha, Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board and the Taraba State Youth and Sports Development Agency Chairman described the initiative as innovative and impactful.
He urged other corps members to embrace creativity and community-driven projects capable of addressing societal challenges.
“I was surprised to see plastic bottles being used to build a structure that can stand the test of time. I used to see such innovations only on social media,” he said.
Nongha further noted that beyond sanitation, the corps member had also introduced a chess education programme in the school aimed at promoting critical thinking, discipline, and strategic decision-making among students.
“The project goes beyond sanitation. Alongside the eco-toilet, Musa has introduced a chess education programme designed to sharpen the minds of students and encourage strategic thinking,” he added.
He also pledged support towards the rehabilitation of the school’s non-functional borehole to ensure the sustainability of the facility.
Also speaking, the NYSC Local Government Inspector for Jalingo, Mr Bitrus Yakubu, commended the corps member for deploying innovation to address sanitation challenges in the school.
The Principal of Salihu Dogo Secondary School, Mr Richard Karanta, expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing it as timely and beneficial to students.
According to him, the project complements the Taraba State Government’s free education policy and ongoing efforts to improve learning conditions in public schools.