Retrofitting pit latrines and installing handwashing facilities in a local school in Korogocho, Nairobi

Toilets For All is funding a project between Mobile Alert Toilets (MAT) and Ryeeda CBO school in the Korogocho slum in Nairobi, Kenya. MAT is a social business which improves and renovates overflowing pit latrines in the urban slums of Kenya by retrofitting them with containers and sensors. Additionally, MAT also provided Ryeda CBO school with two handwashing facilities donated by MSR Global Health. You can find further visuals of the project here: pictures and videos.

Approximately 6.4 million urban residents in Kenya live in slums without access to adequate sanitation. In the Korogocho slum, there is one pit latrine for every 30 inhabitants. Latrines overflow due to late desludging and approximately 140m³ of faecal sludge is dumped into Nairobi river every day. In order to tackle this problem, MAT offers an innovative solution which consists of renovating the pit latrines with containers and sensors. The sensors monitor and send automated messages to alert MAT to empty and use the resources in a safe and hygienic way. Thanks to this process, MAT avoids polluting the local rivers whose water is also used for other purposes by the slum dwellers.

The project also entails the installation of two POVU POA handwashing stations with a two weeks supply of soap. MSR Global health, the donor of the handwashing stations, is an innovator and manufacturer of low-cost products which improve access to basic human needs in low-resource communities of low-income countries. The POVU POA handwashing station is a system formed by both a foaming hand soap dispenser and a water efficient foot pump. The result is a consistent handwashing facility which reduces the costs of soap and water. Subsequently, MAT will conduct a hygiene training for the school children when the schools reopen in January 2021.

Toilets For All funding for this particular project comes at a crucial time. On the one hand, the COVID pandemic has made handwashing and proper waste disposal imperative in order to contain the virus. On the other hand, the water and sanitation global crisis is aggravating. In light of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), `to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030’, Toilets For All bets on the future and supports an innovative solution which will improve the lives of Kenyan children and teachers in Korogocho.

Text written by: Maria Bravo Elvira

Do you want to know what our young beneficiaries think?

“Before there was no door for our toilet so I could not change or use the toilet, but now I can use the toilet and change anytime. Thank you to MAT and Toilets For All.”

Esther Ongayo, 8th grade student, Ryeeda CBO.

“The old toilet used to overflow but the new toilet is not overflow. I am very happy. Thank you.”

Felicia Anyango, 8th grade student, Ryeeda CBO.

“My name is Shadrack Osanya. The toilet in my school used to have maggots and flies but now it is clean and I am happy about it. Thank you.”

Shadrack Osanya, 8th grade student, Ryeeda CBO.

“Thanks a lot for improving our toilet before it was a scaring open pit toilet but now the pit has a squatting pan, no smell and the floor has tiles. Thank you.”

Rusel Muleke, 8th grade student, Ryeeda CBO.