Smart technologies for urban and peri-urban communities: Amref Health Africa's experience in promoting water borne/pour flush toilets in northern Uganda

Safe water supplies, sanitation and hygiene promotion remains vital for good health, environmental protection and poverty alleviation. Although there has been great improvement in achieving the national targets with sanitation coverage standing at 74.8% in Uganda (Uganda Water and Sanitation Sector Performance Report 2014), the quality of the sanitation facilities has always been compromised. Pit latrines are commonly used both in rural and peri urban communities. However, these get filled up and abandoned which calls for digging more latrines. With the challenge of limited land in the urban and peri urban communities, effects from floods and poor drainage and associated pollution, smart technologies like the waterborne/pour flush toilets remains the best option. This paper therefore shares Amref Health Africa in Uganda’s experience in promoting waterborne/pour flush toilets in urban and peri-urban communities in Gulu Municipality and Kitgum Town Council of Northern Uganda.