Pit latrine emptiers: Unsung heroes of sanitation and health

Operating in the narrow alleys of informal settlements in Nairobi and other cities is a group of people who play a crucial role in improving public health and sanitation. They are the unsung heroes who perform an essential yet often overlooked job—one that is physically demanding and fraught with health risks: Manual Pit Emptiers.

The role of a Manual Pit Emptier involves manually removing human waste from pit latrines, often using basic tools and wearing multiple layers of clothing as protective gear — gear that is inadequate for the task. They remove fecal sludge using buckets and shovels. These operations are carried out without gloves, masks, or proper protective equipment, putting the workers at risk of contracting diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis and exposure to toxic gases.

The job of a Manual Pit Emptier is tough but vital in maintaining sanitation in urban slums. They empty pit latrines and septic tanks primarily in ‘slums’, where accessibility by exhaust or vacuum trucks is hindered by narrow pathways and confined spaces. Furthermore, a large percentage of residents in informal settlements struggle with low or no income, meaning they cannot afford the services of an exhaust truck.

Despite their contribution, Manual Pit Emptiers find themselves at the fringes of society. The stigma surrounding this work exacerbates their difficulties, as they are often treated as outcasts in their communities. Due to the nature of their work, access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities is elusive, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and vulnerability.

In recent times, a few private institutions and community-based organisations have been advocating for the rights and well-being of Manual Pit Emptiers, to improve their working conditions and formalise their work. Fresh Life, for example, is a leading provider of non-sewered and container-based sanitation and has partnered with UNICEF, USAID, and Sweden in Kenya to build the capacity of Manual Pit Emptiers in areas such as Mukuru Kwa Ruben, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, and Mathare through an initiative called the Kenya Sanitation Enabling Environment Project.

Through this initiative, Fresh Life has built a network of Mtaa Fresh centres, which provide Manual Pit Emptiers with access to clean and conducive working environments, including waste disposal facilities, showers and disinfectants for their equipment.

The initiative also provides the Pit Emptiers with personal protective gear at no cost, as well as periodic vaccinations to protect them from diseases.

 The ultimate goal is twofold: to protect and enhance the well-being of these workers, who rely on this work for income despite the huge risks, and to formalise the work and reduce the stigma associated with it.

There is much more to be done to legitimise this work and foster greater appreciation for its role in reducing environmental pollution and improving public health and hygiene.  

Mururi is the general manager, Communications and Marketing at Fresh Life