Social marketing report : usage and attitudes of sanitation facilities in Kawempe division, Kampala

Recent feasibility studies have shown that sanitation and hygiene in Kampala City, Uganda, is poorly managed among its population because of outdated water supply systems, indiscriminate waste disposal and poor drainage systems leading to poor living conditions. The key sanitation problems experienced in Kawempe are poor toilet conditions, poor waste disposal practices, flooding, inadequate toilet facilities and unclean water caused by unprotected spring wells. Previous efforts to improve this situation have not yielded positive results. Most projects have not taken into account the consumer’s views and needs and so they have had very little impact. This has increased poor living conditions among the urban poor living in informal settlements such as slums or planned settlements therefore exposing them to situations that put them at risk of unfavorable sanitation conditions and sanitation related diseases.
As a precursor of a WaterAid intervention to improve this situation, a qualitative study was conducted to collect information that would guide in the formulation of an effective awareness raising campaign to adopt adequate hygiene and sanitation practices in the targeted areas. The broader objective of this research was to understand consumers’ attitude and practices in regard to the use of sanitation facilities. The results of this survey are to be used as a benchmark for the promotion of behavior change in order to improve the health and well being of the people of Kawempe and later of the whole urban society.