STUDENTS have twinned their toilets with some in central Africa to raise awareness of global poverty.

Ten Durham University colleges, including St Chad’s, St Hild and St Bede and Grey, have had their toilets twinned with loos in Burundi.

Information sheets have been pinned to bathroom walls, telling visitors about the 2.6 billion people worldwide who are without a decent toilet and, as a result, are at risk of contracting diseases.

About 4,000 children die of diarrhoea every day.

Money raised from the scheme will be used to build latrines and improve sanitation and hygiene for poor families.

Former Durham University student Lis Martin, 22, who organised the toilet twinning, said: “Having experienced life without a toilet whilst working in Uganda, I felt compelled to raise awareness of this issue.

“Without basic toilets, people lack dignity and safety.

Talking toilets is taboo, but toilet twinning is a novel, practical and long-lasting way of tackling poverty.”

Cherie McClintock, from the Toilet Twinning group, said: “Most of us assume a decent toilet is bog standard, but for a third of the world’s population, their lives are at risk because they do not have a safe place to go to the loo.

“We are thrilled that Durham students have not washed their hands of the part they can play in saving lives.”

Visit toilettwinning.org