Dhaka has a population of over five million people and only 50 public toilets. Due to poor infrastructure and lack of maintenance these facilities are unhygienic, badly lit, unmonitored and often unsafe. Users are often low-income people, including vendors, shopkeepers, rickshaw pullers, day labourers and the homeless. A study conducted by Bhumijo revealed that 90 percent of women would choose to drink less water while out so as to avoid their use, potentially leading to urinary tract infections and kidney diseases.
Bhumijo provides access to clean, inclusive and technology-enabled toilets to low-income communities in transit - in markets and other public spaces - through a subscription or pay-per-use model. Facilities are modern and beautiful - constructed and maintained to high standards. A key focus is women and children, however men are offered separate facilities, and there are toilets tailored to people with disabilities. All have access to showers, clean drinking water, a laundry service, refreshments and advertisement space, at an affordable price.
TRANSFORM worked with Bhumijo to expand with five new facilities in Dhaka and test new revenue streams. Funding, advice and support also helped test different construction techniques, which led to devising a modular system that could be built quickly in different locations.
When the pandemic hit, and people feared using public amenities, further TRANSFORM funding allowed Bhumijo to adapt their existing systems into pedal-operated, touchless facilities. Toilets and handwashing stations were provided outside Dhaka Medical College Hospital, with 7,500 users a day.
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