Sustainable Sanitation

Few organizations are interested in dealing with the unglamorous issue of sanitation

That's why there was genuine surprise among local residents of the "Red Light" slum of Monrovia in April 2011 when Solace broke ground on latrine and washroom funded by Worldstock.

"People asked us and we told them it was a latrine," project manager Matthew Dennis said. "But they could not believe [it] until the construction was completely done ... because of the quality of work that was being done."

Solace was asked by the Liberian government to design and oversee the development of a program to provide public sanitation in some of the poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods in the capitol. Solace was eager to develop a program to train Liberian masons and planners to organize, build, and maintain a system of units that provide both toilets and a place to wash for men and women.

As with many Solace projects, the latrine was the result of connections made as a result of Solace's other successful projects. Solace was asked by Robert Sirleaf, the President's son, to help deal with Liberia's growing issues with communicable diseases related to sanitation like dysentery, which are a growing problem in the country's densely populated slums.

The result: the "Red Light" latrine. Mathew and co-project manager Helvin "Moses" Binda and four other workers built the latrine and an adjoining washroom. The facility, for men and women, has eight seated toilets, two showers and a water capture system. Work was also begun at the time on a nearby well that would supply additional water to the latrine.

The latrine is actually being operated as a business, with a small usage fee collected to pay for cleaning supplies, disposal of solid waste and maintenance crew. Additionally, a small percentage of any profits from the latrine will be set aside to build other latrines in the future.

"Far more people lack access to a properly managed toilet or latrine than to water. "

            - World Health Organization

Construction: There are several specific technologies involved in building these units that differ from conventional concrete or brick construction. These include, among others things, processes known as ferro cement, and soil stabilized block construction. We've arrived at a distinctive combination of methods from successes with similar projects (rural and urban) in Kenya, Malawi, and Guatemala. These methods have proved more affordable, durable, and to have a less harmful impact on the environment. Our program is designed to train professional masons in these building methods.

Maintenance: To facilitate the breakdown of harmful bacteria, regular maintenance of these units is essential. The process involved is not complex, but it does require regular supervision. These units will fail if there isn't a system or department in place to handle their upkeep once the program is complete.