Preference for and characteristics of an appropriate sanitation technology for the slums of Kisumu, Kenya

Abstract

Slums are faced with several challenges including lack of sanitation facilities. This lack is further compounded by the difficulty in determining an appropriate sanitation technology due to the challenging living conditions. An appropriate technology should, among others, consider the conditions of each settlement as well as views of the slum residents. Through interviews and participatory discussions, residents of the slums in Kisumu city identified sanitation technologies they preferred, and the reasons for or against these technologies. These responses were pointers to characteristics of an appropriate technology for the slums. Pit latrines, ecological sanitation and flush toilets were identified, but residents selected pit latrines as appropriate for their settlements. The results mean that technically, an ideal technology should be easy to construct and use, be socioculturally acceptable, environmentally friendly and economically affordable. This article calls for cooperation among stakeholders, including landlords and tenants in decision-making for sanitation in slums.