Diverging perceptions on communal sanitation facilities : a case study of Kibera slum

Communal facilities are enabling many slum dwellers access to sanitation services.With the increase in population and rapid urbanization, they are expected to play aneven greater role. The study aim was to gain insights on the users' and the providers'perception on the appropriateness of the various sanitation facilities that are on offer tothe residents.The study was driven by the concern that no studies have been taken to identify theusers and the providers' views on the various options on offer. Yet, the current studiesindicate that, for the facilities to be properly used by the community they need to meetthe desires of the people. Further, the research shows that often there exists adiscrepancy between the providers' and the users' choice of preferred technology. Thisoften leads to lack of proper use or even lack of use of the facilities.To explore the users' and the providers' views on the communal facilities, a case studyof Kibera slum in Kenya was conducted. Four types of communal sanitation facilitieswere identified namely: pour flush toilets, VIPs, WC and biogas toilets. To collect theviews from the providers and the users, semi structured interviews and usersquestionnaires were employed respectively. The study shows that the users place ahigh premium on the cleanliness of the facilities. On the other hand, for the providers,the most important criteria for selecting the appropriate sanitation technology isavailability of the infrastructure (water and a sewer line) and the operation cost. TheFrom the study, two conclusions can be drawn: First, users' satisfaction with thefacilities is related to the level of the cleanliness. Second, the cost of emptying thefacilities is a major criterion for selecting an appropriate technology for the providers