40,000 eco-toilets in Ethiopia in 4 years: what makes it work?

Between 2005 and 2008, Catholic Relief Services in Ethiopia facilitated the construction of 40,000 ecological toilets (the Arborloo design) in impoverished rural areas of Ethiopia where coverage had been less than 1%. In many communities coverage reached 100% within a few weeks or months. The keys to success were very low cost of slabs (US$5), ease of building and its modest contribution to food security in a country with chronic food shortages. Promotion techniques included demonstration and crop trials through model farmers, use of PHAST methodology for education and empowerment, and provision of tree seedlings. This paper discusses the factors leading to success and concludes that the Arborloo is well suited to Ethiopian culture.