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Local NGO combats insufficient sanitation in Kibera

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Kibera, the largest informal settlement in East Africa, rests five kilometres from Nairobi’s city centre and houses more than a quarter of the capital’s population. Defined by its uncertain land tenure, inferior infrastructure and low incomes, it is no secret that this densely populated area suffers from dangerously low levels of sanitation services. According to an Impact Assessment Report conducted by Jean Africa Consultants (JAC), there is one pit latrine for every 50 to 500 community members living in Kibera. Often times, the location of a pit latrine makes it inaccessible for waste collection and after it overflows with excrement, it is abandoned. This results in the increased use of “flying toilets,” a plastic bag used for defecation that is tossed as far away as possible. In Kibera’s Silanga Village, a survey conducted for the previous assessment report found that more than 50% of respondents admitted to throwing their waste using the “flying toilet” approach. The lack of
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Bio-gas lighting at Kayaba Ushirika wa Usafi na Maendeleo (Kuum B); Mukuru Settlement

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  KUUM B Biocentre   Household air pollution is high due to burning of traditional fuels (kerosene and  charcoal) for cooking and lighting having adverse health impacts.  Use of these fuels produces high levels of smoke around the home with health-damaging pollutants.  These pollutants can lead to a wide range of child and adult diseases like  acute and chronic respiratory conditions (e.g. pneumonia), lung cancer, stroke and cataract. Residents in the informal settlement are the ones mostly affected by these conditions. Umande Trust through funding from Wimma Liikuttaa has been able  to maximize on the bio gas utilization from the KUUM B bio centre by installing 4, one burner stoves and biogas lamps in the four rental rooms. The biogas burner ensures the tenants have their privacy as they cook their meals and importantly improve the health of women and children.  The residents have been able to save on the cost of buying paraffin and paying electricity bills. The
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Ep 8: Menstrual Hygiene and Coronavirus in Kenya

Fan Tai Bridges Inadequate access to sanitary towels and menstrual resources is a familiar issue in Kenya that has pre-existed long before COVID-19. In fact, two out of three people who menstruate cannot afford sanitary towels and products,   according to figures collected by FSG , a non-profit consulting firm. The challenges that prevent menstrual hygiene can vary on location and communities across Kenya. Among other causes, reasons can range from a lack of physical supplies, cost, and social taboos regarding basic menstrual hygiene and health. For example, an article published by the Daily Nation reported that policies on menstrual cycles had been enacted in Nairobi but rarely outside of the city. Cartels have even been   reported to hijack government projects to provide sanitary towels , leaving little for the targeted communities. And these inadequacies pose various consequences for anyone who has periods, as well as the overall growth of Kenya. Menstrual hygiene plays an enormous
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