HWF’s concept of an ‘Open Defecation Free (ODF) village’ is a village where all residents have access to and regularly use sanitary toilets for their personal hygiene needs, eliminating the practice of open defecation. Open defecation is the practice of relieving oneself outdoors in fields, bushes, or other open areas, which can lead to numerous health and environmental problems.

Achieving ODF status typically involves a combination of infrastructure development, behavior change communication, and community mobilization efforts. HWF constructs cost-effective and user-friendly toilets at the household and community levels to develop open defecation-free villages.