Fertiloo (Kuria, Kenya)

Low price easy-to-handle compost latrine paying off by producing fertilizer that would otherwise have to be purchased.

Background

According to the WHO, more than three billion people in the world have no access to improved sanitation. As a consequence open defecation is widely practiced, contaminating water-sources and spreading preventable water-born diseases. In Kenya alone, more than half the rural population practices open defecation. Every day more than two million tons of human waste are dumped into fresh water. Also, every year 1.8 million people die from diarrheal diseases, mainly children are affected.

Challenge

Industrial sanitation solutions are too expensive for developing countries and often disregard local sanitation habits. For example, some people use pit latrines, which can contaminate water sources, are dangerous to construct, and are prohibitively expensive. In villages in Kuria, Kenya pit latrines cost up to $850 to construct.

Idea

Fertiloo’s idea is to give access to improved sanitation by designing a low-tech solution. Their team developed a light-weight compost latrine which is installed at Kenyan farms. Its design considers traditional sanitation habits and human waste can later be used as fertilizer.

Implementation

The Fertiloo was designed by Stanford students of the Center for Extreme Affortability and the Kenyan social entrepreneur organization Nuru and costs less than $100, which is the amount of money saved by not having to buy industrial fertilizer.

Impact

Safely collecting and reusing human waste not only reduces family health expenses and improves the quality of life, but also helps saving 20% of their annual income currently spent on industrial fertilizer and top soil.