Establishment of a sanitation centre in the Kibera slum – Nairobi

One of the largest – and certainly the most well-known – slums on the continent is located in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Kibera has become a global symbol of extreme poverty, with international aid organisations estimating its population at around one million. Access to washing facilities and basic hygiene is non-existent; residents rely on makeshift pit latrines screened by corrugated metal sheets, typically shared by around 300 people. A common practice is the so-called “flying toilet” as well, whereby bags filled with human waste are discarded in the open.

As a result, a severe public health crisis has emerged, with an estimated 40% of children not surviving beyond the age of five. In addition to the lack of basic hygiene services, residents are also deprived of access to piped drinking water. Illegal groups, organised into cartels, divert approximately 70% of the city’s water supply from the municipal system and resell it at prices far above market rates.