phew

The latrines are done. Totally built. Require no more tweaking or materials or trips to the well for water or walks to Hamedou's to ask about money or voyages with the donkey cart to get sand.

I allow myself now a big sigh of relief, and a look back at the more memorable moments:

When I began my study of West African latrine building, I toured several of the private latrines. The local mason pointed out to me all of the parts without cracking a smile at the fact that we were discussing one of the more private sides of life.

I recall picking up the 900,000+ ougiyas at the Kaedi bank. The biggest denomination is a 2000UM bill, so what I carried out of the bank literally filled a handbag. It was the size of several bricks and weighed about the same.

The many meetings with the elders of the village. Their fashionable red and white checked scarves thrown around their shoulders and their flip flops in a cluster at the edge of the mat. I just looked on while the committee informed the men they would each be expected to pay for the latrines in money and labor. All I ever said was "thanks" at the end of the meeting, and they always replied with, "you're a good person, Fatimata."

Standing in front of the first completed latrine (and pictured above) with three grown men- the mason, his helper, and the health committee president and us all agreeing that the latrine is a)gorgeous and b)likely to better hold up than most houses in Mauritania

I remember giving the brick throwers little donut balls for a morning snack, carrying sand for the latrine near my house, and late night meetings with the health committee. Someone always inevitably said "God willing, these latrines will get done" and someone else always replied, "It just may not be very soon."

My friend telling me that from now on, whenever anyone needs to poop they'll go to Fatimata's latrine and will think of Fatimata while doing their business. (Unfortunately, I am Fatimata.)