Toilet Practices and Methodologies
Arguably the most significant impediment to sanitation are issues surrounding defecation and disposal of human waste as it has the greatest ability to spread disease. The most commonly used toilets within Kibera are private toilets, community toilets, and flying toilets (used by over half the population [Lusambili, 2007, 110-115]). The first two are essentially pit latrines with certain significant differences (for flying toilets please see section on Health and Safety).
Via Flickr
Private toilets are built by landlords for use by tenants, but at a price. These landlords often do not live within Kibera. It is not uncommon for them to also be high-level government officials (Lusambili, 2007, 112). This provides a nice juxtaposition between the lack of government initiative in slum infrastructure development with the private involvement of those same government members within the slums. It may also be an eye opening example into the amount of corruption in government funding, as any investment in better quality toilets for settlements may be derailed by landlords, possibly detracting from private toilet revenues.
Community toilets are built by slum residents illegally on unused land often without a roof or doors. The latter are most often avoided by women as they offer no privacy, and expose them to violence and humiliation. Neither of these toilet methods have any kind of formalized cleaning methods, even when charged for by landlords. Community toilets are cleaned by no one and often abandoned within a month, as they become too dirty and unsafe to use, claiming many lives (Lusambili, 2007, 114). Private toilets are cleaned by women often for no pay who see it as a necessity to avoid cholera outbreaks and the spread of disease among children. An outbreak would again be a larger burden on their responsibility, and require even more labor and emotional strife.
Via Flickr
The Peepoo project was launched in Kibera as a sustainable means of human waste disposal based on the prevalent “flying toilet” system which many residents turn to in absence of proper toilet facilities. The waste is collected and stored for use as fertilizer (Via Peepoo.com)
Lusambili, A. M. (2007). Environmental sanitation and gender among the urban poor: A case study of the kibera slum, kenya (Order No. 3273599). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (304893454). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/304893454?accountid=14656