Community toilet management and promotion of public hygiene (Kenya)

The study investigated community toilets management strategies on promotion of public hygiene in slums using a mixed methods approach. Findings showed that 86% of the slum dwellers accessed inadequate sanitation facilities where 5.1% used ‘flying toilets’ and 1.3% used bucket latrines. Results also indicated that 96.2% of the toilets were shared between men and women, and majority were rarely maintained clean. Users like women poured ash on the toilet slabs as a strategy to avoid urine stagnation on the floors. As a strategy for toilet separation by gender, residents used charcoal to label toilets for males and females. Further, 94.9% of the toilets lacked menstrual hygiene management facilities. Women wrapped used sanitary towels in polyethene papers and threw them in garbage pits. As a result of lack of anal cleansing materials in toilets, slum residents used local materials such as leaves and newspapers. Majority of the toilets made local handwashing facilities known as ‘tippy taps’ for the management of hand hygiene. Paying for use of community toilets was a strategy that boosted management of the toilets. To increase acceptability and usability of community toilets, the study recommended community participation in deciding on the suitable toilets in slums. The study also recommended the need for consideration of the sanitation needs of the vulnerable groups to improve public hygiene in slums.