Lessons learnt in urban community-led total sanitation from Nakuru, Kenya

Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is a process where communities are mobilized through innovative participatory methodology to completely eliminate open defecation (OD). However, in urban areas experiences are rare. Practical Action and Umande Trust have implemented a project Realising Rights to Total Sanitation (RRTS) in Nakuru, Kenya, adapting the urban CLTS methodology to the urban context. In a participatory approach, design sessions are held with landlords, tenants, project team and technical staff of County government. This comes up with low cost toilets that meet urban public health and building regulations. It is also address wider issues of feacal sludge and solid waste management, access to clean water, and waste water management. It has worked with lending institutions to assist landlords in accessing the necessary finance to upgrade their facilities. It has also capacity build county staff to adopt CLTS approaches, replicate and scale it within Nakuru County.