TOILETS & PROFITS

Businesses operate to turn profit, and customer footfall is the lifeblood of retail and leisure sectors. Yet however alluring the window display, however good the sales pitch, people need first to feel drawn into the area. People respond to, and recognise, areas that show a strong brand image, a sense of civic pride, where it is obvious from the road furniture, local environment, and signage that people are welcomed, that their needs are understood and catered for. 

In other words, sense of destination – the extent to which a destination has met a visitor’s needs and made a strong and positive impression – is vital to secure repeat trade and sustainable economic development.

Public toilets as part of road furniture is therefore, important for local shops and businesses too.

PUBLIC TOILETS IS TOURISM

Places – where we live, school, travel, shop, work, take recreation – are more accessible and attractive when public toilets are well planned, designed, maintained, clearly signposted, and available when people need to use them. They are one of a range of amenities that help to attract a more diverse range of visitors, encouraging them to spend longer in the country, and to visit again. 

Being able to access a toilet is a fundamental need for any visitor therefore, a lot of clean toilets should be built so that information about the toilets can be distributed wildly, signposts regarding clean toilets should be on all roads – tourists choose their destinations carefully, drawing on their previous impressions, talking to friends and family, looking up feedback on the internet. 

PROVISION OF PUBLIC TOILETS

Good public toilets are important therefore, we increase accessibility and quality of public toilets; and we ensure everyone is working together on this. That is why we publish about the toilets we provide and toilets in general.

We publicly review the causes of decline, set out a range of approaches that go beyond the traditional public toilets, and encourage partnerships between roads and local authorities, the private sector, and local people to devise solutions that are tailored to the needs of different people at different times of the day.

Our publicity accentuates the positive: there are some excellent examples of approaches to promoting public access to toilets, often involving the private sector, and engaging pro-actively with local communities to ensure that their needs and priorities are met.

Importantly, we hope to take taboo out of toilets, to stimulate discussion, to achieve better provision, and to promote a positive shift in attitudes and approaches to the whole issue of toilet provision and use.

PROVISION & MAINTENANCE OF CLEAN TOILETS ALONG ROADS FOR FREE USAGE

FROM: RAHA SOLUTIONS

TO: ENG. JACOB RUWA, OGW

CHAIR & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KENYA ROADS BOARD

info@krb.go.ke

Dear Sir,

RE: PROVISION & MAINTENANCE OF CLEAN TOILETS ALONG ROADS FOR FREE USAGE

This letter is open because promoting public access to toilets is not only about increasing provision, improving the quality and cleanliness of toilet facilities, signage and other information about what is available. It is also about sharing information – including intentions to provide, small details like signposting, and mapping of, local toilets – that help to shape an image for roads, towns and cities that makes a lasting and positive impression on local people and visitors. This is important for local people and visitors alike.

Please allow us to, at our cost, add and maintain SANI SOLAR toilets along your good roads for free usage by road users. The toilets, related signages and access will form part of existing road furniture (like drainage systems, bus stops etc). Note that the toilets don’t use water, they use solar heat instead. The toilets will manufacture fertiliser for locals.

We ask to do this because you may not be planning to do this instantly, yet Kenya Ministry of Health and road users expect road services to include toilet facilities that are accessible, clean and safe.

Last week, director of public health in Kenya Ministry of Health, Kepha Ombacho, said ‘..all banks, supermarkets, parks, bus stations and other public places must have clean water and sanitation systems…In Nakuru and Narok, a bus driver can’t stop on the way and let passengers go and defecate in the open. They will be arrested and fined. This is what should be happening in all the counties’.

While proposing that buses should have in-built toilets, many members of public have welcomed this directive.

The truth is that very few of us can afford fares for buses with inbuilt toilets and we cannot stop call of nature so the busses must stop where we (with your support) will provide toilet facilities.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Regards,

RaHaSolutions

(no signature because this letter is an email transmission)

SUCCESS STORY – Singapore

A sanitation system was installed in Singapore on the 31st of October.

The SANI SOLAR system installed at NETTATECH research facilities is used by the workers living at the site. This demonstrates effective operation of the system under climatic conditions of Southeast Asia (SEA).

Refurbishing existing tank for Maasai community

The tank before refurbishment.

The tank before refurbishment.

Refurbished existing tank and added the taps for easier access for Maasai community in Namanga, Kenya.