Breaking the stigma around manual pit emptiers in Freetown and transforming faecal sludge into a useful product

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1 Breaking the stigma around manual pit emptiers in Freetown and transforming faecal sludge into a useful product INTRODUCTION Faecal sludge management has a of sanitation chain that is followed to control the indiscriminate disposal of human faeces especially in addressing hygiene and sanitation related issues. The city needs a sustainable Faecal Sludge Management system in order to achieve a clean and safe environment for the population. This will prevent the spread of diarrhea and other WASH relates illnesses in vulnerable communities across Freetown particularly the hill side and slum communities. Manual pit emptiers are part of the sanitation chain and as such have contributed in the disposal of such waste. Their practices have raised some concern regarding the perception of the beneficiaries of these services and the health of these service providers. The faecal sludge Management chain Compost is often considered as dirty, and lack of immediate benefit to people come from faecal sludge. However, it is valuable agricultural input which can improve the condition of soil and reduce the need for chemical fertilizer. 1

2 The situation: In 2011, a survey was carried out in hill side and slum communities in Freetown: Mabella, Susan s Bay, Kanikay, Bottom Oku, Mount Aureole, Kissy Mental and Ginger Hall. The purpose of this survey was to find out issues related to faecal sludge management in the most vulnerable communities across Freetown. The survey included mechanical emptiers, manual emptiers, Freetown City Council (FCC), selected beneficiaries of emptying services and community leaders. Methodologies used are discussions, interviews, focus-group discussions, observation of pit emptiers during their practice and asking questions. The findings of this survey revealed the issues related to the practices of manual pit emptiers and the final disposal of the sludge at Kingtom. The following were clearly brought out as concerns. The process of empting manually has some serious health hazards. People using these services attach some stigma to the practice. This prevents manual emptiers from openly identifying themselves about their job because of the stigma attached to it. In addition to this, sludge that is deposited at the final bay (Kingtom dumping site) is usually collected in bags, loaded into trucks for use as manure in vegetable gardens with no proper treatment process. SOLUTION/ INNOVATION An alternative for manual pit emptiers that would prevent them from getting into the pit will add dignity to their job and will enable them to come out publicly. As a way of improving faecal sludge management, the following were undertaken as a pilot which started in March

3 Firstly, two manual diaphragm pumps were purchased from India and USA and were tested. The USA made one was tested and proved very effective. A local contractor was sourced to fabricate a diaphragm pump, using the USA made design and local materials. This was done so that these pumps could be easily accessible, more affordable and easy to repair in case of any break-down. Picture 1: Picture of the two diaphragm pumps (the white in front and the black at the back) and a transportation trolley with a pig feet container These locally made pumps were pre-tested in Bottom Oku, Mabella and Susan s Bay by the emptiers and proved much more effective than manual emptying: they reduced time needed, manpower and health risks. Around February 2014, pit emptiers were contracted by Save the Children UK to carry out latrine emptying services in some schools at Wilberforce and other areas in the West of Freetown. The service was done in broad daylight in the presence of on-lookers who were amazed when they saw the improved and healthy ways of emptying, unlike the previously frowned at method. Sludge emptied from pits is carried to a newly constructed temporary transfer station at Mabella of Ferry ( Lion s field) before being collected in large vacuum tankers to the final compost bay at Kingtom. This also is at it s pilot phase in which sludge would be temporarily deposited at a point instead of keeping the latrines full for a long time instead of awaiting for manual or mechanical emptiers. 3

4 Picture 2: Picture of a faecal sludge temporary transfer station, with a community latrine directly on top As a means of improving on the quality of compost, a compost bay structure was constructed for the processing of the sludge at Kingtom. These faecal sludge products can be better processed with very little or no cost and transformed into organic manure for agricultural purposes. At the compost bay, the sludge is left to dry up, mixed with saw dust or palm kennel cake. It is regularly tested with a thermometer to gauge its temperature. When the temperature is maintained at least 60 degrees for a period of one to two weeks, then the product is ready to be used as organic manure. Picture 3: Photo of the faecal sludge compost bay at the Kingtom dump station By June 2014, fifty bags of twenty-five kilograms each have gone through the final compost stage and are now ready for laboratory tests to prove its viability as organic manure. 4

5 Picture 4: Finished product of Organic manure ready for laboratory testing NEXT STEPS AND CONCLUSION It is intended that this organic manure is made available to large scale farmers for pre-testing, alongside chemical fertilizers like Urea and NPK 15, 15, 15 to compare which one is more viable. Cost, easy accessibility since it is a product made in country with minimal resources and method of application for the growing of vegetables and horticulture will be tested. If the pretesting of this manure proves that this manure could grow plants better than chemical fertilizer the public could realize that waste can be turned into wealth. In other words, more preference could be placed on the faecal sludge product than on chemical fertilizer. The proposed direction of the project is to encourage a private enterprise to undertake the composting process and marketing of the manure as a form of business. In the area of the manual pit emptiers, dignity could be restored to the practice since the stigma would be removed by using the diaphragm pump. The pumps would also reduce the health risks faced by the emptiers, because they allow for very little or no direct contact with sludge. According to a pit emptier at Botton Oku who wants to remain anonymous, he mentioned that people in his community now see him as gainfully employed as he now earns enough to properly care for his family. 5

6 These improvements on faecal sludge management can limit the spread of diarrhoeal and other WASH related illnesses in our communities, while reducing stigma of pit emptiers and also providing business opportunities. Published by: Peter K. Lahai Date of publication: 12 th June