By Dann Okoth

A few years ago, human waste was a nightmare to residents of Nairobi’s Kibera slums as a result the infamous ‘flying toilets’.

However, years down the line, locals have now turned this menace into an opportunity, thanks to the bio-digesters.

Gatwekera and Nyaharwa bio-centres are in Kibera and fetch up to Sh30,000 per month each.

A bio-digester under construction in Gatwekera, Kibera slums. The project fetches more than Sh30,000 a month. Photo: Courtesy

Gatwekera Bio-Centre for instance was set up by five community groups with the help of Umande Trust, a local NGO, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Government.

During the commissioning of the project, Umande Trust Managing Trustee Josiah Omoto said the bio-centre offers toilet and bathrooms services to the locals at the cost of between Sh3 and Sh5.

Swedish Ambassador Ann Brandt and Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren commissioned two of the bio-centres in Kibera last week constructed at the cost of Sh3.1 million.

The two said the Swedish government is working on a support budget for Kenya’s urban development for the next five years.

The aid will mainly target development projects in low income settlements, said Ms Brandt.

The Gatwekera Bio-Centre is owned by five community groups operating under the Total Sanitation and Hygiene Access. These facilities serve at least 400 users a day.

Shareholding scheme

The systems vary from ordinary ablution blocks and do not use water for flushing away the waste.

"This saves water compared to normal ablution blocks,"said Mr Omoto.

The bio-centres are constructed in such a way that human waste is collected and recycled to produce gas fertiliser as a by-product. The waste is then fed into a bio-digester to produce bio gas for cooking and lighting. The by-produce- fertilizer- is sold, thus earning income.

Still, the plan has reduced pressure on the Nairobi Water Company Sewer lines besides enhancing cleanliness in Kibera.

The project has also introduced a shareholding scheme where members of community-based groups earn dividends from incomes generated by the bio-centers, including rent, services and gas.

The funding by the Swedish government will be in addition to the Sh800 million the country has spent on various developments projects in Kenya’s low income areas in the past five years.

Brandt said the projects will be spread to all slums in the country to address sanitation and waste management.