The Sanitation Value Chain: Where Women, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thrive

SHF-commissioned research indicates the sanitation economy could unlock close to a potential USD 2.8 billion in economic gain, job creation, women’s empowerment, and environmental protection by 2030 in Kenya. Concretely, these figures represent the potential that is possible in Kenya by investing in the sanitation value chain, a sector that is already showing immense promise - and innovation - especially for and by women.

In Kenya, a country known for its entrepreneurial spirit and technological innovation, the sanitation economy is growing slowly and steadily. The UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is working with the Government of Kenya to deliver on this promising potential as the region’s sanitation powerhouse. Alongside technical assistance on the policies, regulations and financing reforms needed for the sanitation sector to thrive, the SHF Kenya Market-Based Sanitation (KMBS) project supports Kenya’s budding micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) working on sanitation to foster private sector growth, with an added emphasis on women’s economic participation and inclusion. 

"Kenya has a legacy of strong women driving transformative ideas and shaping a better future for our communities and country. Through the sanitation economy and the growing menstrual health needs, we are unlocking greater opportunities for women and girls. By strengthening the enabling environment, financing, and support systems, we can empower them to achieve their full ambitions—creating a thriving future for all,” said Eng. Mary W. Wainaina, Ag. Director, Water, Sanitation and Sewerage Development Department, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Kenya. 

Promoting Women-led Innovation in Sanitation

In Kisumu, a bustling town in the west of Kenya bordering Lake Victoria, a local enterprise Saniwise Technologies is turning waste into opportunity - literally. 

The company started by Vera Ouko, a dynamic young woman entrepreneur, repurposes plastic waste, including from menstrual products, into affordable toilets. Taking its sanitation and environmental commitments a step further, the company also uses toilet waste to produce black soldier fly larvae, a high-protein poultry feed. Saniwise exemplifies the endless possibilities for innovation and circularity in sanitation: it is also a reminder of the limited access to capital and capacity the sector is prone to and this is where SHF comes in.

Through the Kenya Market-Based Sanitation (KMBS) project, aiming to support private sector SMEs to build capacity and expand market share through appropriate, financially viable, scalable, and sustainable approaches, SHF has provided support to Saniwise to build visibility and capacity in fecal sludge management. This funding has helped improve Saniwise’s operational capacity and outreach, including through branded service trucks, allowing them to scale their solutions to reach a revenue of approximately USD 48,000.

"Before our joint efforts with SHF, the sanitation landscape in many low-income areas had limited access to clean and durable toilet facilities. Existing toilets were often poorly maintained, and many resorted to 'flying toilets’. At the same time, the massive buildup of plastic waste in these areas posed an environmental hazard, with few systems in place for recycling. But now, we have been empowered to show the world that waste can be valuable. We are creating jobs, protecting the environment, and feeding the future," says Vera Ouko, Founder and Director of Saniwise.

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Sanitation, a gateway to thriving futures for all

In 2024, with KMBS support, the company sold 15 eco-toilets and over 200 kilograms of larvae, valued at USD 6,967 and USD 310 respectively. Looking ahead, they aim to process 100,000 tons of plastic waste annually by 2025, creating a cleaner environment and more green jobs.

Vera, and Saniwise’s, story is but one of the opportunities waiting to scale in Kenya’s sanitation economy. According to SHF estimates, the sanitation economy in Kenya could unlock a potential USD 2.8 billion, including in women’s empowerment, by 2030 once universal access is achieved. 

Through a focus on enterprises that are the building blocks of an environmentally, operationally and financially sustainable sanitation value chain, especially innovations like Saniwise led by women entrepreneurs like Vera, we are paving the way toward a sustainable, inclusive future for all. This is the promise of Next Generation Sanitation.