Situation surrounding toilets in developing countries
In many developing countries including Malawi and Kenya, where NICCO has been working, people still mainly use a pit latrine, or open spaces to defecate, not having access to a sanitary toilet facility. In the rainy season, sewage spill causes infection and diarrhea, leading to the deaths of children with a particularly weak immune system.
Circulation System Using Eco-San Toilets
Making the best use of our 7-year experiences and achievements made in Malawi since 2007, we are working on rural development programs in Kenya.
Our goal is to keep the local people involved in driving each projects independently and sustainably even after the completion of our support programs. We, therefore, included in the programs some mechanisms to foster the sense of ownership towards the villagers’ own community development efforts, such as: (i) to build a self-governing operation committee directed by the villagers; and (ii) to encourage them to make capital contribution to projects.
Community Building Using “Eco-San” (Ecological Sanitation) Toilets: Improvement of Living Through Five Activities
1. Constructing and Promoting Eco-San Toilets
We are working to improve sanitation and agricultural productivity through construction and promotion of ecological sanitation toilets, so-called Eco-San toilets.
Eco-San toilets, due to their high-floored feature, do not spill sewage, and thereby help prevent epidemic of infectious diseases and water pollution. Also, by collecting feces and urine separately to use them as manure, it helps increase crop yields and reduce the use of chemical fertilizer.
We encourage local engineers to construct Eco-San toilets through training by the specialists we invite from Japan. Also, we assist to develop a lending scheme through the village people’s own investment to finance materials for toilet construction.
2. Establishing Water Supply
NICCO is working to repair existing deep wells and extend water pipes, aiming to maintain access to safe water and to reduce burden of water drawing for children and women.
In addition, we are working to introduce a new water charge collecting system using water usage meters, to help maintain wells and water pipes sustainably.
3. Introducing Tree-Planting and Enhanced Ovens
Bushiangala Village is suffering from deforestation, due to the increase in population and tree trimming for firewood and lumber. To address the problem, NICCO is working to plant nursery trees for firewood and fruit trees.
Also, we assist to educate local specialists on construction of enhanced ovens that reduce the usage of firewood to 1/2~1/3.
4. Production of Agricultural Products and Marketing of Processed Products 
We are working on product development using local agricultural products. Also, we are assisting in marketing activities through a research on local demands and marketing methods.
5. Promoting Women’s Participation in Community Activities
To reflect opinions and requests from women, we assist the village operating committee to include a certain number of women in the committee members. We also assisted to set up a committee for advancement of women. Further, we are planning to hold an awareness-raising workshop for men, while encouraging people to rethink women’s domestic roles and to become more understanding of dual-income household.
