Six drivers of successful urban sanitation for the poor

Rosemary Rop, WSP Africa Nairobi in her key note speech identified six drivers of successful urban sanitation for the poor. They are:

1. Political support and institutional leadership
2. A sustainable financing programme
3. Partnerships across sectors.
4. Tailored technology choice.
5. Hygiene promotion and sanitation marketing
6. Empowering community centered approaches.

The best example: Burkina Faso

Later in a break out session she cited Burkina Faso as the best example of a country where most of these drivers are being used. Leadership on sanitation was shown by mayors and the water utility ONEA. They made a sanitation plan and a strategy, introducing a surcharge on water bills for onsite sanitation. Some of the money is used for sceptic tanks, VIP latrines and soak aways. Households are contributing one third, the utility 30 per cent, and World Bank project funds one third. It is continued because there is a dedicated bank account for sanitation.

At community level the utility is involving CBOs for sensitisation and hygiene promotion. The programme also helps with building capacity of licensed small scale providers.