Nigistu Beku’s burden was already heavy: the 74-year-old widow had lost two sons in the Ethiopian Civil War. On top of that, a lack of sanitation made daily life nearly unbearable.

For many years, everyone in Nigistu’s community used a small hole in the ground that drained into the river. The hole smelled and swarmed with flies, and its makeshift walls of iron and plastic would frequently collapse. In the dry season, sewage would not drain properly; in the rainy season, the toilet would turn to mud. In fact, the people would sometimes forgo the toilet entirely and resort to using plastic bags.

Imagine Nigistu’s relief when this misery met its end! Working with Cross Catholic Outreach, the Brothers of Good Works, a local Catholic organization, recently completed a new toilet block for Nigistu’s neighborhood.