REPORT__Evaluating_the_potential_of_microfinance_for_sanitation_in_Tanzania_May_2013

3.2 Microfinance for sanitation entrepreneurs
The second segment of the market relates to sanitation entrepreneurs which are operating at
a scale where accessing microfinance lending products may help them scale up their
business. As indicated earlier, microfinance institutions have not yet “discovered” this type of
entrepreneurs. Stakeholders at the workshop agreed that there are opportunities in
developing sanitation entrepreneurs in general and microfinance for sanitation entrepreneurs
in particular. Some of the opportunities discussed include, for example, individual or small
private company providing public toilets or mobile toilet facilities for large gatherings such as
wedding or religious activities that are common in Tanzania.
Second, stakeholders also indicated that there is opportunity for group managed sanitation
services. These may include youth groups that provide solid waste collection, public toilet
facilities and toilet emptying services.
WaterAid Tanzania’s sanitation department has pioneered the development and promotion
of liquid waste removal and disposal services using the gulper technology and low cost tank
and tricycle transport system. Both groups and a small company are involved. The small
company has shown more potential of expansion and quick decision making thereby
indicating greater entrepreneurial capacity.
What is at stake?
In Dar es Salaam, whilst the proportion of people using open defecation is still significant
(7%), the majority of people (70%) use pit latrines as shown in Figure 4 below. Most of the
waste however is not properly discarded. A high proportion of the liquid waste is dumped
directly in the neighbourhood thus exposing communities to health risks, partly due to the
lack of available services for disposing of this waste hygienically.
Figure 4: Volumes of wastewater and methods of disposal in Dar es Salaam
Source: WaterAid (2010).
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