Wonderful waste

Over the last 10 years, entrepreneur, farmer and parent Hawa Mhando (pictured above) has seen how the climate has changed, with increasingly frequent floods near her home in low-lying Temeke District, the most populated area in Dar es Salaam.

“During the flooding, pit latrines can overflow and flow to the river,” she says, “so if we use the water from he river, we get a disease like cholera and diarrhoea.” 

Hawa Mhando, 47, showing the effects of flooding to the Tognama area in the Temeke District in southern Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Image: WaterAid/Sam Vox

Floods also wash away her rice crops, leaving her with nothing to sell. 

To reduce the risk of disease when it floods, we have supported waste disposal workers like Juma Ng’ombo to empty latrines using a ‘Gulper’ hand pump. Fellow worker Julius Chisengo then transports the waste in his ‘bajaj’ motorcycle-truck, which can navigate the narrow streets.

Julius Chisengo (53) is the Group Operator for the DEWATS in Kigamboni, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Image: WaterAid/Sam Vox

He deposits the waste in small treatment plants where it is turned into biogas for cooking, water for irrigation, and fertiliser so Hawa can grow nutritious food for her daughters, and earn an income, too.

As Hawa says: “We thank WaterAid for helping us, it has helped us to reduce diseases.” 

Now, the people of Temeke can stay healthy for the future – whatever it brings.