March 5, 2010

Malawi struggles with sanitation situation

Currently the country is not on track to meet its Millennium Challenge Goal to halve the number of people without access to adequate sanitation by 2015. Many families share access to one pit latrine, while others have defecate in the open. As a result, water sources get polluted and people get sick. 

However, one GWC-supported project, provides a glimmer of hope with its use of low-cost Ecosan toilets. From the article:

In other townships like Chinsapo, community members have taken action to improve their sanitation facilities. Their toilet woes are now over after a group of women belonging to Malawi Homeless People’s Federation built a modern toilet at the market.

“I wish we could have a public toilet like the one at Chinsapo 2 market,” says Mhango, who is also a member of the federation.

Mhango is referring to the Ecosan Skyloo public toilet built by the federation’s members under Families Improving Sanitation in Their Communities Project implemented by Centre for Community Organisation and Development (CCODE) and funded by Global Water Challenge.

The Ecosan Skyloo toilets do not have to be dug instead they have vaults and people can harvest manure for use in their gardens after it is full. The toilets do not attract fleas because they do not exude obnoxious smells.

But even when the toilets are built, Mchesi, Kaliyeka or any other markets in Malawi will remain eyesores because waste management seems sidelined.

The year 2015 is too close and there is an uphill task. Malawi needs to redouble its efforts on sanitation because failure is simply not an option. As Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General declares on the organisation’s website, “The MDGs are too big to fail. We are ready to deliver, and ready to make 2010 a year of results.” So there is no additional time, Malawi needs fast results.

Read the full article here.