Community-driven interventions offer promising solutions. The Soweto East K-WATSAN project was designed to improve WASH through community participation, creation of management committees and construction of seven sanitation blocks and a road. In a 2012 survey of 275 residents, 55.7 percent reported “much better” conditions, with sanitation blocks cutting ‘flying toilets’ and the road promoting commerce. Governance and design hurdles include such challenges as inadequate consultation with vulnerable groups and construction delays caused by Kibera’s density. The project increased access to water and sanitation, improved the environment and supported income sources, and it reinforced principles of inclusion and partnerships that K-WATSAN Report.
The Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI)’s Kibera Public Space Project is another impactful one. This project has since 2010 built 11 climate resilient public spaces that cover 35% of all purpose built public space in Kibera Kibera Public Space Project. They offer flood protection, drainage infrastructure, sanitation facilities, recreational areas and small business opportunities for 10,000 people a day. The design process has involved over 5,000 residents to meet community needs. According to the project, it has installed 520 meters of flood protection and 840 meters of drainage infrastructure, which has greatly improved living conditions for more than 125,000 residents, especially women and young people in Kibera Public Space Project.
Another innovative solution is Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS), which has been put into practice in Kibera since 2004 by the Kenya Water and Health Organisation (KWAHO). SODIS in Kibera is a low cost method that uses plastic bottles filled with water and exposed to sunlight for 6-8 hours to kill pathogens, providing free, year round water treatment. In a 2005-2006 study, it was found that 84% of households that used SODIS reported no diarrhea incidences, compared to two out of three households SODIS in Kibera. In schools like Anwa Academy, SODIS has been adopted to increase enrollment and decrease cholera outbreaks. However, despite the challenges of ownership issues from migration and reduced PET bottle availability during COVID, SODIS has been successful and replicable, having been used in other areas such as Mukuru kwa Njenga, Kisumu, Tanzania and Uganda.
Gatwekera Total Sanitation and Hygiene Access (TOSHA) Network’s biocentres with biodigesters are accessible toilets that generate gas and agricultural slurry, and demonstrate innovative design Sanitation and Politics. Local though they may be, these projects are not scalable, depending on donation funding and volunteer labor, and must be embedded within the scope of citywide planning for sustainability.
Although there is much existing research, there are still several gaps. Interventions such as K-WATSAN, which although dependent on external funding, are not studied for the long-term sustainability K-WATSAN Report. Kibera is a flood vulnerable area and therefore requires climate resilient WASH systems, but this area has not been explored Navigating Kibera. Deeper investigation is needed of gender specific impacts such as the safety and time burdens on women and girls, WASH Accessibility Study. The need for real ‘granular’ WASH data to inform targeted interventions is another important need of the study WASH Accessibility Study.
The relevance of interdisciplinary approaches to urban planning and public health is another finding of these. To address WASH challenges in Kibera, communities need to be empowered, local infrastructure design needs to be designed to fit existing context, and there needs to be sustainable funding. The K-WATSAN project demonstrates that communities can create change, but it has to happen within the right governance or it will face more exclusion or displacement. The Kibera Public Space Project shows how participatory design can be used to integrate flood protection and sanitation to better people’s lives. The SODIS’s case underscores the possibilities offered to the water quality in such low cost and scalable solutions. Geospatial data is valuable in highlighting inequities — and therefore the WASH accessibility study of 2021 shines a light on this with a tool to target interventions. The COVID 19 pandemic only exacerbated these challenges and the need to build resilience and equitable service delivery.
As Kibera looks to the future, improving WASH access in Kibera is not only about having more facilities built but having systems such as infrastructures that are resilient, ongoing support and communities that are given a voice. Future research on sustainable funding models, climate resilient designs, for gender sensitive approaches and details on the collection of data to expand clean and safe water and sanitation to all residents must be conducted. As past projects and these gaps are learned from, students and researchers can help create a future where Kibera’s residents live healthier, more dignified lives, and lessons for informal settlements around the world.
Key Findings Table
|
Aspect |
Key Findings |
Source |
|---|---|---|
|
Population and Density |
Kibera, with ~250,000 residents, has high density, complicating WASH access. |
K-WATSAN Report |
|
WASH Accessibility |
77.4% of residents have limited WASH access; average distance to water: 95.5m. |
WASH Accessibility Study |
|
Governance Challenges |
Weak formal systems; K-WATSAN committees faced consultation gaps. |
K-WATSAN Report |
|
Design Constraints |
Dense, unplanned layout hinders infrastructure; roads improved access in K-WATSAN. |
K-WATSAN Report |
|
Intervention Impact |
K-WATSAN improved conditions for 55.7% of residents; sustainability unclear. |
K-WATSAN Report |
|
Research Gaps |
Limited studies on sustainability, climate resilience, and gender-specific issues. |
WASH Accessibility Study |
