Description of the project: Since 2020, Women in Sustainable Development Moldova implement a climate resilient ecological sanitation model to treat grey and black water in the rural school of “Mihai Eminescu” in Slobozia Mare. Sanitized urine is distributed through an automatic pumping and drip irrigation system to a garden of decorative plants, while the faecal waste is treated via vermicomposting and used as soil fertilizer. This EcoSan model is located in the biosphere nature reserve “Prutul de Jos” in South Moldova. It engages 414 school pupils, teachers and school staff in exemplary water source protecting and climate adaptation activities with a long-lasting positive impact on the degraded ecosystem.

 

Climate impact
	The EcoSan treatment with Lactic Acid Fermentation (LAF) reduces emissions of several GHGs: CO2 by 20%, CH4 by up to 93% and NH3 by over 50%.
	Water source protection and water saving technology
	Soil enrichment in a degraded ecosystem.
Gender impact
	Girls’ access to school is ensured by the provision of safe and clean sanitation facilities.
	224 female pupils, teachers and technical staff are trained in operating, monitoring and evaluating the Ecosan utilities.
	Women’s workload is alleviated via the automatic pumping and irrigation system while female technical staff remain in control of maintaining the system.
Scalability / replicability
	Simple technology that can be easily replicated in other schools and by local farmers.
	Exemplary initiative implemented in the Lower Prut Biosphere Reserve connected to the UNESCO World network of Biosphere Reserves.