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LIXIL Company, maker of pioneering water and housing merchandise, immediately introduced that it has achieved its bold aim of bettering sanitation and hygiene for 103 million folks by means of its social enterprise, SATO, with important progress made in Kenya.
Secure sanitation and hygiene stay among the many most pressing international challenges, notably in rural elements of Africa. In Kenya, greater than 23 million folks in rural communities – or practically 40% of the nationwide inhabitants – have restricted, unimproved sanitation, or apply open defecation1. This creates big well being, social and ecological points. Globally, greater than 1,000 youngsters below the age of 5 die every day from ailments unfold by unsafe consuming water, poor sanitation and insufficient hygiene, leading to tons of of billions of {dollars} in annual losses from decreased productiveness and better healthcare prices.
To deal with this concern, LIXIL has created and scaled SATO, its social enterprise that designs water-saving and inexpensive sanitation and hygiene options, with Kenya considered one of its key markets. Its award-winning vary of merchandise contains the SATO Pan – an revolutionary answer that closes open pit latrines to create a extra hygienic sanitation expertise; and the SATO Faucet – a conveyable handwashing answer that wants simply 100ml of water for an efficient handwash.
As a enterprise, SATO works with a various vary of companions — together with producers, distributors, retailers, governments, worldwide organisations, NGOs, and personal sector gamers — to create resilient and sustainable sanitation markets in rural communities. This focuses on addressing the boundaries to sanitation and hygiene adoption – from consciousness and native entrepreneurship to product availability and microfinancing – to maneuver communities away from open defecation and primary sanitation in the direction of safely managed sanitation.
In Kenya, SATO has made important progress by establishing native manufacturing and distribution. As well as, with UNICEF Kenya and the Ministry of Well being, it has launched and scaled sanitation options in areas like Kitui and Siaya Counties, creating provide chains and providing communities inexpensive options to away from open defecation.
Globally, its market-focused mannequin has been extremely efficient. Up to now, SATO has reached greater than 103 million folks by means of its sanitation and hygiene options. This has not solely created a greater day-to-day for the tip customers who’ve entry to improved sanitation however has additionally contributed to the direct and oblique creation of latest jobs inside rural communities. Reaching this milestone, the first goal of the World Sanitation and Hygiene pillar of LIXIL’s Influence Technique since 2013, reinforces LIXIL’s dedication to additional accelerating sanitation and hygiene entry worldwide.
Kinya Seto, CEO of LIXIL, mentioned: “Reaching 103 million folks shouldn’t be a end line, however highly effective proof that the non-public sector performs a essential function in addressing an pressing international concern. By establishing a social enterprise, we’re addressing the sanitation and hygiene challenges at scale, not solely bettering well being, however empowering households with the safety and peace of thoughts they should construct their livelihoods and prosper. Our journey is considered one of studying and partnership. We’re grateful to the households and companions who’ve welcomed our options into their houses and communities. Seeing first-hand how easy, protected bathrooms can restore dignity and enhance high quality of life deepens our dedication. Our function is to function a catalyst, supporting the resilience and potential of each neighborhood we attain.”
Erin McCusker, Chief of SATO, mentioned: “Reaching 100 million folks is a major milestone, representing the affect on people and communities, and it’s also an important transition level. The worldwide aim of common entry to protected sanitation and hygiene by 2030 calls for unprecedented acceleration. We see sanitation as a basis for the achievement of many different growth objectives. LIXIL’s upcoming 2030 targets will reinforce our dedication to ship private-sector innovation and market-driven fashions important to creating higher houses a actuality for everybody, in all places.”
