Approaching Sanitation Solutions Through the Marketplace in Malawi

January 18, 2012
By Muthi Nhlema, Grants Manager, Water For People-Malawi

Blantyre has been christened the Commercial Capitol of Malawi, owing to the strong presence of industry and the plethora of businesses and services that throng its pavements and buildings. The roads are bustling with activity as dare-devil minibus drivers maneuver dense traffic in the hope of beating the rush hour. The workforce is well-dressed. The roads are paved. And the vibe bespeaks freshness, adventure and opportunity – the spirit of Blantyre!

Despite this vibrant image, Blantyre has an equally glaring disparity. As the sun sets at the end of the work day, most people return to homes in high-density, low-income areas. These people are not as well-dressed. The roads in these areas are not paved. And the vibe is more of desperation and poverty. This is the other spirit of Blantyre!

Currently 70% of Blantyre’s citizens live in areas characterized by unplanned housing and poor road networks that provide little access for basic social services like water and electricity.

Blantyre city grows by about 2.1% annually, with more rural people leaving the life and livelihood provided by the earth to seek better dreams in the city. Once there, most of these new residents will settle in areas that are worse than what they left behind. One of the worst conditions of crowded living is poor latrine facilities that offer little privacy and a high risk of disease.

Well-meaning initiatives from NGOs and government through large injections of capital into sanitation hardware have produced frustratingly dismal results, with little change or change that just won’t stick. And thus, the population continues to boom and the sanitation situation continues to get worse, putting more residents are at risk of disease.

Until now.

What do you think?