By Vincent Gunde
Self Help Africa (SHA) in collaboration with the Dowa District Council is scaling up the use of SATO pans as a new sanitation technology through a market- based sanitation approach in seven Health Centres of the district.
The organization said universal access to basic sanitation is a long- standing challenge despite decades of interventions by governments, donors, funders, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOS) saying even though the importance of the private sector for the supply of toilets was recognized, few development programs applying market- sanitation approaches have scaled.
It said the SATO pans uses a mechanical and water seals to close off pit latrines from open air thereby reducing disease transmission from flying insects that come into contact with human wastes.
Self Help Africa’s Field Facilitator Emmanuel Chikweza, said SHA through DIWASH project set a solid foundation in terms of orienting sanitation entrepreneurs linking the services to the communities in Health centres such as Mvera, Chezi, Mtengowanthenga, Chankhungu Dzaleka, Mponela and Msakambewa SATO pans selling lists to the shop owners.
Chikweza said the District Coordinating Team (DCT) as the umbrella body for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) need to be empowered to champion the revamping of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) saying while ODF status in communities have been broadly sustained, demand has not yet translated into significant sanitation sales, markets for sanitation products and services are poorly developed in the district.
“SATO pans have benefits such as small- free latrines, affordable, easy to install, child- friendly and use small amount of water and it is a modern technology,” he said.
Chikweza said the Extension workers and village health committees have assisted in the promotion of the SATO pans use through community’s clinics and local gatherings and the flexibility in marketing strategies has seen the district have access within their localities.
The Facilitator said the increase in profit margin for shop owners or masons would be for price mark up for selling and installation of SATO pans and the use of Health Centre facilities for stocking sanitation products, are some of the success approaches of the project.
However, Chikweza said the project is meeting some challenges in the course of implementation such as handouts syndrome, unstable price, poverty levels and utilization of the SATO pans need strict hygiene behavior to meet most of the communities.
