GEXSI Limited Liability
Partnership (LLP) provides non-charitable services based
on a shared philosophy with the GEXSI Charity. For more
information on the professional services provided by GEXSI
LLP refer to www.gexsi.com
Dignity, Health and Clean Water - EcoSANITATION
Promoting public health, improving quality of life and creating
employment opportunities through safe and affordable sanitation
facilities
Every year, unsafe water, coupled with a lack of
basic sanitation, kills at least 1.6 million children under the age
of five years. Extending basic sanitation services to poor urban areas
is of utmost importance to prevent outbreaks of water-related diseases
such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. Since more than half the population
of Addis Ababa does not have access to latrines and experience open
defecation, there is huge demand for safe and affordable public facilities.
The project's pilot phase has shown that people are prepared to pay
a small fee of 1.5 Euro Cent for such services, which may be used
by several thousand people every day. This small fee will ensure the
project is self-sustaining.
This project plans to provide public ecological sanitation for the
people of Addis Ababa. The latrines that we will provide use ecological
sanitation technology and as a result, the side products are organic
fertilizers and soil conditioners that can assist in preventing erosion.
In addition to adding convenience to people's lives in Addis Ababa,
ecological sanitation is a highly efficient means of promoting public
health at low cost. It also provides a significant number of employment
opportunities - particularly in relation to the low investment required.
These latrines are considered dry sanitation as they dispose of human
urine and faeces without the use of water as a carrier. Urine and
faeces are managed separately. The deposited faecal matter may be
dried by the addition of lime, ash, or earth, and the contents are
simply isolated from human contact for a specified period of time
to reduce the presence of pathogens. In this process, bacteria, worms,
or other organisms are used to break organic matter down to produce
compost. This project will help to address the environmental problem
associated with the inadequacy of the waste management and water shortages
in Addis Ababa.
