Javan Okello Smile Latrine Project Achievements and Impacts

Smile Latrine Project: Achievements, Impacts, and WASH Solutions in Resource-Limited Settings
Presented by Javan Solomon Okello, Project Manager

The Smile Latrine Project (SLP), launched in 2019 in Homa Bay County, Kenya, was designed to address critical sanitation challenges in rural, resource-limited communities. As the Project Manager, I led a multidisciplinary team focused on eradicating open defecation, improving sanitation infrastructure, and empowering communities through innovative Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives. The project partnered with international organizations like JICA and Japan Habitat Association, alongside local stakeholders such as Sawa Yume Kenya and the County Government of Homa Bay.

Key Objectives and Strategies:
Eradication of Open Defecation: Achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status across multiple villages through Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), educating communities on the health risks and fostering behavioral change.
Improved Sanitation Facilities: Constructed over 2,800 latrines and introduced low-cost technologies like Sato Pans to ensure safe and clean sanitation for every household.
Sanitation Technology and Training: Expanded sanitation options by training local masons in new technologies, empowering the community to sustain and expand sanitation improvements.
Economic Empowerment through Agribusiness: Enhanced household incomes by introducing agribusiness opportunities such as Tissue Culture Bananas (TCBs) and improved chicken breeds, linking economic growth to sanitation investments.
Project Achievements:
Latrine Construction: Over 2,861 latrines were built, benefiting more than 6,300 households.
Handwashing Facilities: Installed more than 3,000 handwashing stations, reducing the incidence of sanitation-related diseases.
Public Health Impact: Diarrhea cases dropped significantly, with some areas recording a 100% reduction in reported cases.
Economic Empowerment: Over 7,400 households received TCBs and chickens, boosting income generation and enabling further investments in sanitation.
Challenges and Solutions:
The project faced obstacles such as high poverty rates, cultural resistance to new sanitation practices, and logistical challenges in reaching remote areas. These were overcome through community engagement, financial support, and adaptive planning, ensuring that the project met its objectives sustainably.

Through my leadership, the Smile Latrine Project not only improved sanitation but also transformed lives by promoting economic resilience and public health. This model of integrating WASH initiatives with community empowerment offers a blueprint for successful sanitation projects in resource-limited settings.

1. Smile Latrine Project:
Achievements & Impacts
Javan Okello
Project Manager
Smile Latrine Project

2. Introduction: Project Context
•The Smile Toilet Project was initiated in 2019 to address critical sanitation
challenges in Homa Bay County, Kenya.
•The region, is characterized by rural landscape and pressing public health
needs, occasioned by unsanitary conditions leading to health issues and
hampered economic development.
•The project focused on the eradication of open defecation, the promotion of
improved sanitation practices, and the strengthening of community resilience
through enhanced agribusiness opportunities.
•By improving sanitation infrastructure and promoting sustainable hygiene
practices, the project aimed to create a foundation for better health,
increased capacity building opportunities, and economic growth.

3. Introduction: Project Partners
•JapanHabitatAssociation(JHA):
•Aleadingpartnerresponsibleforthestrategicdirectionandfundingoftheproject.
•JHAhasbeeninstrumentalindesigningtheprojectframeworkandmobilizinginternationalsupport.
•JHAhasbeencrucialinaligningprojectgoalswithbroaderglobalhealthanddevelopmentstrategies.
•SawaYumeKenya:
•AlocalNGOthatworksdirectlywiththecommunitiesinHomaBay.
•Roleincluded:communitymobilization,conductingtrainingsessions,andoverseeingtheday-to-day
implementationofprojectactivities.
•CountyGovernmentofHomaBay:
•Provideslocalgovernancesupportandensuresalignmentwithregionaldevelopmentgoals.
•Thecountygovernmentfacilitatestheintegrationoftheprojectintolocalhealthanddevelopment
plans,providesnecessaryapprovals,andsupportscommunityengagementefforts.
•JapanInternationalCooperationAgency(JICA):
•TheprincipalfunderoftheSmileToiletProject,providingthenecessaryfinancialresources
•JICA'sinvolvementispartofitsbroadercommitmenttosupportingsustainabledevelopment
initiativesworldwide,particularlythoseimprovinghealthandsanitationindevelopingcountries.

4. Introduction: Goals of the Collaboration:
•Thismultifacetedpartnershipcombinedtheinternationalfinancial
supportandstrategicoversightfromJICA,projectmanagementand
technicalexpertisefromJHA,localexecutionandcommunity
engagementfromSAWAYUMEKenya,andgovernmentalbacking
fromtheCountyGovernmentofHomaBay.
•Together,theseentitiesworkedtoprovidecomprehensivesanitation
solutionsthataddressbothimmediatepublichealthneedsand
longer-termsustainabilitygoals,aimingtofostercommunity
empowermentandenhanceoverallqualityoflifeinHomaBay
County.

5. Project Objectives
Objective 1: Eradicate Open Defecation
•Goal: Achieve an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in selected villages in Homa Bay County
by educating communities on the health risks associated with open defecation and providing
access to improved latrine facilities.
•Strategy: Utilize Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approaches to drive behavioral
change and community ownership of sanitation practices.
Eradicate
Objective 2: Promote Universal Access to Improved Sanitation
Facilities
•Goal: Ensure every household has access to safe, clean, and private sanitation
facilities.
•Strategy: Support the construction of durable, easy-to-maintain latrines and
promote the installation of cost-effective sanitation solutions like Sato Pans.
Promote

6. Project Objectives
Objective 3: Increase Sanitation Technology Choices Among Rural
Communities
•Goal:Expand the range of available sanitation solutions tailored to the diverse needs and
environments of rural populations.
•Strategy:Introduce a variety of technological options for sanitation, provide training for local
masons in these new technologies, and facilitate knowledge transfer.
Sanitation
Technologies
Objective 4: Improve Household Incomes Through Agribusiness for
Investments in Sanitation
•Goal:Through TCB and Chicken rearing, Strengthen economic stability in
households, enabling them to invest in improved sanitation facilities.
•Strategy:Implement agribusiness training programs on TCB and Improved Chicken Breeds.
Agribusiness

7. Project Achievements: Sanitation Infrastructure
Number of Latrines Built: 2861
Year 2019–BeforeProject 2024–AfterProject
Community
Unit
No.ofHHHH with
Latrines
No.ofHHHH with
Latrines
New
Latrines
Kakangutu
West
1297 789 1406 1383 594
Kawere
Kamioro
1625 975 1775 1739 764
KodumoWest1224 698 1317 1305 607
KokwanyoEast1835 1081 2100 1977 896
Total 5981 3543 6422 6304 2861

8. Sanitation Infrastructure: Adoption Rates of Handwashing
Facilities
Year 2019–BeforeProject2024–AfterProject
CommunityUnit No.ofHH HHwithHWF No.ofHH HHwithHWF NewHWF
KakangutuWest 1297 271 1406 1054 783
KawereKamioro 1625 683 1775 1509 826
KodumoWest 1224 479 1317 1173 694
KokwanyoEast 1835 771 1924 1655 884
Total 5981 2204 6422 5391 3187
New Handwashing Facilities

9. Community Training and Engagement
Community
Unit
Trainingevent NumberofTrainings/
workshopsHeld
Number of
participants
Kakangutu
West
CLTS 9 1944
TCB 10 200
ChickenRearing 10 200
MasonTraining/Sato
installation
10 200
Kawere
Kamioro
CLTS 15 450
TCB 15 150
ChickenRearing 15 150
MasonTraining/Sato
installation
15 150
Kodumo
West
CLTS 10 1450
TCB 10 140
ChickenRearing 10 140
MasonTraining/Sato
installation
10 140
Kokwanyo
East
CLTS 10 1600
TCB 10 150
ChickenRearing 10 150
MasonTraining/Sato
installation
10 150

10. Summary of Training / Workshop / Capacity Building
Training/
Workshop
Kakangutu
West
Kawere-
Kamioro
Kodumo
West
Kokwanyo
East
Total
CLTS 1944 450 1450 1600 5400
TCB 200 150 150 150 650
ChickenRearing200 150 150 150 650
MasonTraining/
Satoinstallation
200 150 150 150 650

11. Economic Improvement
Activity/CU TCB
issued
Improved
Chicken
Issued
KakangutuWest2000 600
Kawere-Kamioro1500 300
KodumoWest 1400 280
KokwanyoEast1500 300
Total 7400 1480

12. Economic empowerment success stories

13. Mr. Ogweno
My name is Caleb Ogweno, and I'm from Kakangutu West Community Unit. Two years ago, I was
fortunate to participate in an agribusiness training program through the Smile Toilet Project, where I
received three chickens and ten tissue culture bananas (TCBs). This training taught me how to care for
them effectively.
Over these past two years, I've managed to increase my chickens from the initial three to thirty-five and
grew my TCBs from ten to fifty. Recognizing an opportunity, I sold thirty of my chickens to buy a dairy
cow, which was a significant addition to my farming activities. However, I faced some challenges with
feeding the cow, so when my bananas matured, I sold several of them. With the proceeds, I bought a
machine to produce my animal feed, which helped reduce the feeding costs significantly.
My dairy cow proved to be a good investment, calving and producing 15-20 liters of milk daily, which I
sold in the local market for five months. The income was stable, and I saved enough to take the next big
step in my life. Earlier this year, I sold the dairy cow and its calf and started constructing a new
permanent house, which is currently underway.
Thanks to the project, I've also been able to improve my latrine, installing a sato pan and a handwashing
facility, which have dramatically enhanced the sanitation conditions for my family. Moreover, the
earnings from my agribusiness ventures have ensured that my children can attend school without
interruptions for unpaid fees.
I am incredibly grateful for the small training in agribusiness and the initial support with chickens and
TCBs. It's not just improved our sanitation profile but has completely transformed our lives, giving us a
new direction and hope for the future."

14. Monica Ochieng
My name is Monica Ochieng, and my journey with the Smile Toilet
Project began when I received three chickens and ten tissue culture
bananas (TCBs), along with valuable agribusiness training. Initially, my
chickens were laying eggs daily, and I was able to accumulate quite a
few. However, I noticed that the chickens were not brooding, so I
couldn’t get them to hatch the eggs. I found a solution by transferring
the eggs to local hens, who successfully hatched them. The offspring
turned out to be good layers, much like their parents.
My neighbors noticed the quality of my chickens and began asking if I
could share some with them. Seeing the growing demand, my husband
and I decided to expand our operations. We invested in an incubator,
allowing us to hatch eggs on a larger scale and start selling chickens as a
business. This venture has grown beyond our expectations, providing a
steady source of income for our family.
Thanks to the project, we've also been able to make substantial
improvements to our home's sanitation facilities. We upgraded our
latrine, installed a Sato pan, and added a handwashing facility. I am so
grateful for the Smile Toilet Project as it not only improved our living
conditions but also opened my eyes to a business opportunity that
continues to support and sustain my family

15. Impact Assessment: Health and Sanitation
Reduction in Disease Incidence Linked
to Poor Sanitation
•TheChartfocusesondiarrheacasesreportedovertheyears2020
to2023acrossmultiplehealthcentersintheprojectarea,
includingKauma,Masogo,Ringa,Harambee,Tala,andOdino
HealthCentres.
•AtMasogoHealthCentre,diarrheacaseshaveshownasignificant
decreasefrom269casesin2020to0casesin2023.
•Thereisgeneralreductionincasesovertheyears
•ThesereductionsdirectlycorrelatewiththeSmileToiletProject’s
initiativestoimprovesanitationfacilitiesandpromotehygienic
practicesintheregion.Theinstallationofimprovedlatrinesand
widespreadadoptionofhandwashingfacilitieshavebeen
instrumentalinreducingthetransmissionofsanitation-related
diseases.
•Thedecreaseindiseaseincidenceshasnotonlyimprovedthe
overallhealthofthecommunitybutalsoreducedtheeconomic
burdenassociatedwithtreatingthesediseases.Thisdemonstrates
thecriticalroleofeffectivesanitationinfrastructureinenhancing
publichealth

16. Impact Assessment : Increase in Households
Practicing Safe Sanitation and Hygiene
•AdoptionofSafePractices:Since2019,therehasbeena
significantshiftinsanitationhabitsacrossthevillages.
Initially,opendefecationwasacommonpractice,with
manyvillagersusingnearbybushes,whichcontributedto
anunpleasantodorandhealthriskslikediarrhea.
ThroughtheSmileToiletProject,we'veseenaprofound
increaseintheadoptionofsafesanitationpractices.This
includeswidespreaduseoflatrines,whichhavenow
replacedopendefecationsitesentirely.
•RegularHandwashingandWasteDisposal:Alongsidethe
useoflatrines,there'sbeenanuptickinregular
handwashingwithsoapandproperwastedisposal.These
practiceshavebeenheavilypromotedthroughongoing
trainingsessionsandactivecommunityengagement
efforts.
•CulturalShiftinHygieneandSanitation:Theelimination
ofopendefecationsitesandreductionindiarrheacases
areclearindicatorsofaculturalshiftwithinthe
community.Householdsnowprioritizehygieneand
understandthedirectlinkbetweensanitationandhealth.

17. Impact Assessment: Educational and Social
Impacts
•IncreasedKnowledge:Theprojecthassignificantlyincreased
communityawarenessaboutthehealthrisksassociatedwith
poorsanitationandthebenefitsofimprovedhygiene
practices.Throughworkshops,trainingsessions,and
continuousoutreachprograms,residentshavegaineda
betterunderstandingofsanitation.
•BehavioralChange:There'sbeenanoticeableshiftin
communitybehaviorstowardsmorehygienicpractices.This
includesnotjusttheuseoflatrinesbutalsotheregular
washingofhandswithsoapandsafewaterhandling.These
changeshavebeeningrainedthroughrepetitiveandengaging
educationalefforts,makingsanitationacommunitypriority.
•WomenEmpowerment:Women,oftenprimarycaretakers,
havebeenspecificallyempoweredthroughtheprojectto
takeleadrolesinadvocatingforandmaintainingfamilyand
communityhygiene.Over80%ofourCHPsarewomenthus
havebeentargetedwithtrainingthatequipsthemwiththe
knowledgeandtoolstoimprovetheirlivingconditionsand
influenceothers.
•InclusionofVulnerableGroups:Specialattentionhasbeen
giventoensurethatvulnerablepopulations,suchasthe
elderlyanddisabled,areincludedinallaspectsofthe
project.Byadaptingsanitationfacilitiestomeettheir
needs,suchastheinstallationofSatostools,theprojecthas
fosteredaninclusiveenvironmentthatrespectsand
enhancesthedignityofallcommunitymembers.

18. Challenges Faced During Implementation
•HighPovertyRates:Theprojectinitiallystruggledwithhighpoverty
rateswithinthecommunity,whichlimitedindividualcapacityto
contributefinanciallytosanitationimprovements.Only10%ofthe
residentshaveregularorstablemonthlyincome
•CulturalBarriers:Insomeareas,thereweresignificantcultural
barrierstoadoptingnewsanitationpractices,particularlytheshift
fromopendefecationtousinglatrines.
•LogisticalIssues:Theremoteanddifficult-to-accesslocationsofsome
villagesposedsignificantchallengesintransportingmaterialsand
conductingregulartrainingsessions.
•EnvironmentalFactors:Certainregionspresentedenvironmental
challenges,suchaspoorsoilconditions,whichcomplicatedthe
constructionofstablelatrinestructures.

19. Overcoming Challenges
•CommunityEngagementandEducation:Intensivecommunity
engagementandeducationeffortshelpedovercomeculturalbarriers
byaligningsanitationpracticeswithcommunityhealthbenefits.
•InfrastructureAdaptationandSupport:Adaptingprojectplanstofit
localenvironmentalconditionsandleveragingcommunitysupportfor
materialtransportandconstructionhelpedmitigatelogisticaland
environmentalchallenges.
•FinancialandMaterialSupport:Implementingmicrofinance
opportunitiesandprovidinginitialmaterialsupportalleviatedsome
ofthefinancialburdensonthecommunity,makingitfeasiblefor
morehouseholdstoparticipate.

20. Lessons Learned
•Importance of Local Involvement:Active involvement of local community
members, from planning through execution, ensures that the project aligns with
the actual needs and capabilities of the community, enhancing both the impact
and sustainability of project outcomes.
•Adaptability is Key:The project’s success depended heavily on its ability to adapt
to unforeseen challenges. Future projects should incorporate flexible planning
stages that allow for adjustments based on ongoing feedback and environmental
assessments.
•Continuous Education and Follow-Up:Sustained education and regular follow-up
are crucial for maintaining and expanding upon initial behavioral changes. This
long-term engagement helps cement new practices as cultural norms.
•Empowering Local Leaders:Empowering community members to take leadership
roles in the project not only aids in implementation but also in sustaining the
project's achievements. Training local leaders and health workers creates a strong
foundation for ongoing community health initiatives.

21. ODF Declaration and Celebrations
JAPAN HABITAT ASSOCIATION