World Toilet Day on November 19 will raise awareness about the lack of sanitation worldwide, as it’s no joke! 2.3 billion people around the world don’t have access to a safe toilet.
In the lead up to the day, WaterAid is asking people to use comedy and humour to get the nation talking about toilets.
“In Australia having a day all about toilets may seem funny. But for millions of people around the world it’s no laughing matter. A shocking one in three of the world’s population do not have access to a safe and private toilet,” said Mr Paul Nichols, WaterAid Australia Chief Executive.
“Many people have no choice but to face the indignity of going to the loo in the open, where they are exposed to disease and vulnerable to harassment and attack. It’s a serious issue that can be hard to talk about so we want to overcome our embarrassment and get the nation talking about toilets,” said Mr Nichols.
Get involved in World Toilet Day by hosting your own comedy event, share a joke on social media or Pay to Pee by donating a gold coin every time you visit the loo. If in Melbourne you can also attend WaterAid’s It’s no joke! Comedy Gala on the eve of World Toilet Day.
Money raised from World Toilet Day fundraising will give families in the world’s poorest communities the best start in life, through safe water, toilets and hygiene. $25 can help give a child safe toilets at school.
There are many ways to get involved:
Share a joke: Help spread the message by sharing a joke on social media in November. This can be a one liner, story, video, or a fun prank. Hashtag #itsnojoke.
Host a Comedy Night In: Invite your friends and family over to watch a funny film, stand-up comedy DVD and play some of our cheeky toilet themed games.
Pay to Pee: Show your support and collect or donate a gold coin every time you use the loo at work or school.
Host a Comedy Night Out: Ask a comedian to perform and take donations in lieu of ticket sales or host an open mic comedy event for budding comedians in your local area.
Get your school involved: Use comedy to inspire your class to take action on toilets. We want students all over Australia to write their own riddles, puns, and knock knock jokes about the humble loo.
Find out more: www.itsnojoke.org.au
Ryan Fritz
Ryan Fritz started The Advocate in 2014 to provide not-for-profits and charities another media platform to tell their worthwhile hard news stories and opinion pieces effortlessly. In 2020, Ryan formed a team of volunteer journalists to help spread even more high-quality stories from the third sector. He also has over 10 years experience as a media and communications professional for not-for-profits and charities and currently works at Redkite, a childhood cancer charity.
