By Abraham Nyorkor, CWSA Learning and Communications Manager
With support from the U.S. Government, through USAID, the Government of Liberia is making significant strides in improving household sanitation. One of the key solutions introduced by USAID’s Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA), led by Population Services International and partners, is the Quee (SaTo) toilet – a promising and sustainable option for areas where open defecation rates remain as high as 35% nationwide, and up to 85% in rural regions.
Quee Toilets: Durable and Cost-Effective Sanitation
Thanks to USAID’s support, Quee toilets have been designed for long-term use and are made with a SaTo stool or pan, ensuring hygiene and ease of maintenance. The standard installation involves a concrete slab reinforced with steel rods, and an offset pit to safely manage waste. However, for rural communities, the high cost of steel rods – at US$14 per unit – has proven to be a major barrier to the construction of these toilets.
Tackling Financial Barriers in Rural Liberia
Through CWSA, USAID has been actively assessing sanitation conditions and challenges in communities across Liberia. These assessments reveal that many rural families are forced to rely on unsafe makeshift toilets or resort to open defecation due to financial constraints. A typical rural household lives on US$50 per month, with the majority of that income spent on food and basic needs. USAID is addressing these financial challenges by working with communities to introduce cost-effective solutions that make sanitation more accessible.
Bamboo: An Affordable Option in Liberia’s Sanitation Supply Chain
In response to these barriers, USAID, through CWSA, introduced bamboo as a low-cost alternative to steel in toilet construction. Bamboo is a sustainable, durable material that is locally available in CWSA’s five target counties: Nimba, Lofa, Grand Bassa, Bong, and Rural Montserrado and can be sourced at a fraction of the cost of steel. To improve the water resistance of bamboo, USAID-supported trials developed an innovative solution: coating bamboo with used motor oil sourced from local mechanics. This inexpensive and widely available lubricant, typically discarded during fuel changes, helps to reinforce the bamboo structure when used in toilet slabs. As a result, the use of bamboo reduces construction costs by 75%, lowering the price of a toilet slab from US$20 to just US$5.
Proven Success: Bamboo-Reinforced Quee Toilets
Through USAID’s support, the bamboo-reinforced Quee toilet slabs underwent a 90-day laboratory analysis, confirming the strength and durability of the design. As part of a pilot program, ten households across Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Bassa, and Rural Montserrado have constructed bamboo-reinforced toilet slabs. These households, with USAID’s assistance, are now using their Quee toilets successfully and without issues, demonstrating the effectiveness of the innovation.
Embracing Adaptability for Long-Term Success
USAID recognizes the importance of adaptability in addressing sanitation challenges, especially in financially constrained rural communities. Over the next three years, USAID’s CWSA will continue to refine its approach, working closely with the Government of Liberia to ensure that the sanitation solutions evolve with community needs and resource availability. This iterative process ensures that USAID-backed innovations like the bamboo-reinforced Quee toilets remain a sustainable and affordable solution for Liberia’s journey to eliminate open defecation. By leveraging innovative materials and community-driven solutions, USAID is making a lasting impact on sanitation in Liberia, ensuring that even the most vulnerable households have access to safe, sustainable sanitation systems.
About Countywide Sanitation Activity
The Countywide Sanitation Activity is a USAID-funded project implemented from 2022 to 2027. Its primary goal is to permanently end open defecation and achieve sustainable basic sanitation across five counties, Lofa, Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa, and rural Montserrado. This comprehensive five-year initiative focuses on four key result areas including improving sanitation governance at the national and sub-national levels; enhancing adoption of key sanitation behaviors; strengthening sanitation markets; and increasing sanitation financing. By combining the Areawide Planning and Market-Based Sanitation approaches with behavior change communication, the project aims to create lasting impacts and enhance the overall sanitation landscape in Liberia.
