Youth Taking Action: Toilets for a Cleaner Environment and Improved Health

by James Bach

category: Young Leaders

Published June 17, 2009 @ 12:05PM PT

The toilet is a modern convenience that most of us take for granted, not making the connection between its function, the environment and our health. Ashoka's Youth Venturer Moses Odhiambo not only understands this interplay, he has also invented a toilet to meet local needs and generate income in his native Kenya. We spoke to him about the Eco-San Toilet, the message it holds, and how it can improve the lives of people living in poverty.

This is a very unique toilet, can you tell us about your design and how it works?

Ecosan Toilet is a sanitation system that does not require any water to function. Not only does it save on water use, but it is entirely isolated from the surrounding environment and cannot contaminate underground water resources. The system utilizes a natural biological process to break down human waste into a dehydrated odorless compost-like material.

Through the uniquely designed ventilation pipe, adequate airflow is provided for the dehydration / evaporation, deodorizing process. Human excrement consists of roughly 95% moisture. As the solids dry in the conveyer the urine and moisture is vented into the atmosphere. The solid waste then dries into a compost-like material, roughly 5 - 10% of its original mass.

A standard component of the Ecosan toilet system is a urinal. Using the urinal will divert some of the liquids that otherwise would have ended up in the helical screw conveyor. Diverting part of the liquids will assist in the evaporation of moisture in the conveyor and will prevent possible bad odors that can be emitted. Three ventilations options are available to ensure a flow of air down the toilet bowl, through the screw conveyor and out via the ventilation pipe.

After six months of anaerobic decomposition the manure is pulled out from the vault and spread on the organic farms while the urine is continually used on fruit trees to provide more greenness to the leaves and therefore aid in photosynthesis. The urine is mixed with water in the ration of 5:1.

Can you tell us more about the problems that you are addressing and how environmental degradation in the Dunga wetlands impacts human health?

In the riparian community unique birds and animals rely on this swamp for survival. However, anthropogenic activities threaten the aforesaid as the swamp is shrinking at an alarming rate due to encroachment for agriculture/cultivation and livestock grazing, setlement , unsustainable papyrus harvesting and use in material culture industries leading to habitat loss as exemplified through cutting, burning and pollution of the swamp. Papyrus cover loss in Dunga has been to the tune of 50% between 1969-2000, and if it continues unabated at current rate, Dunga Swamp will disappear before 2020. The proximity of the swamp to Kisumu City puts particular strain on the swamp through pollution in the form of sewage and solid wastes. The community has been cutting down the wetland to open up areas for farming therefore the wetland does not perform its natural functions, including flood control. Because of the lack of proper toilets the floods wash down all the wastes into the streams and the lake and this is the same water that is used by the community for domestic purposes.

These problems are compounded by the fact that, the wetland is not under any protection and Kenya is yet to finalize a wetlands development and management policy. Being a slum, Dunga experiences a myriad of problems including sanitation, High infant mortality rate due to poor nutrition, flooding, water borne diseases and lack of clean water amongst others. This is the main reason why we started this venture to try and reduce or if possible eliminate some of these problems from the community.

Environmental degradation through burning and clearing of the wetland for agriculture is the main problem we have been trying to address. Even though we cannot do this in isolation because sanitation is one of the highest and a more priority problem for the community. Therefore with these in mind the Ecosan Toilet has tried to look at an integrated solution by providing the compost manure and also improving the sanitation standards of the households and the community at large.

Through the project we have also been trying to empower the women by using the produce from the organic farms to start up small scale businesses and a revolving fund for them.

Your project clearly links environmental protection and improved water and sanitation services by offering an integrated solution, but how do you plan to change current behavior regarding healthy practices and increased respect for the environment?

1.The most effective method that we have been using is going to schools (mostly because we believe that the young ones are a proper agents of change because they will grow up with the positive attitude to the environment). We do school outreach programmes in the 18 schools around the community and also do debates and workshops with the teachers and students.

2. We do radio talk shows: We use the local radio station, which is listened to mostly in the community since its broadcasted in the local language. In the radio programmes we try to reach the wider community and mostly its on awareness creation and the opportunities that lie in the region that they can tap and benefit from.

3. Elder meeting: The village elder and chief normally have meetings with community leaders every month and we have always been invited to share with the elders on our projects. This is also a good opportunity to have the leaders know about the project and spread it more.

Poverty clearly has a great impact on the health of the population, can you explain how your project also positively contributes to the local economy?

Poverty is normally the hidden main root cause of all the environmental, social and economic problems. It is never possible to try and educate or talk to the community about conservation or protection of the environment without giving them solutions about how they can get food to the table. The project tries to give the community an eye opener and for them to see these opportunities that they can tap while they sustainable utilize the wetland.

Selling of the organic farm produce which is now in abundance, selling of the ecosan fertilizer and starting of the revolving fund are some ways that the ecosan project tries to improve or raise the income or lifestyle of the community.

Where do you see your project going and how do you foresee yourself continuing to contribute to the development of your country?

I see the project being a starting point for a self sufficient community. It might be a long journey for the impacts to reach a larger level but taking each step at a time and with the support of the community at large I believe that the community can become a model to the town and the country about how simple initiatives can make the greatest impacts. Having been brought up by a single mother and going through hardships to get education I have always wished to give back to my community all that I have learnt and continue learning through the opportunities I get.

Having been selected amongst more than 200 youth around the world to come to US and learn on environmental restoration with Earth Corps humbles me and gives me the motivation that I can achieve whatever ambitions I have and my community will one day come out of the problems facing them without always waiting for handouts but by working hard on projects that uplift there living standards.

My personal goal and objective is to one day be able to become the effective leader that my country is yet to find.

Get to know other young social entrepreneurs by reading their stories and seeing videos of them in action at http://genvcampaigns.org/

If you are a young person between the ages of 12-20 and want to create positive change in your community join the global movement of young changemakers at http://genv.net/